Blue Hearts of Mars

by Nicole Grotepas

Seventeen-year-old Retta Heikkinen is in love with a boy--a thoroughly gorgeous, captivating, and mysterious boy known as Hemingway. The situation is rather ideal: he likes her, she likes him. There's just one little problem.

He's a blue heart, an android.

Being in a relationship is its own complicated mess, but how long can a forbidden love last? Soon Retta discovers a secret that could destroy the uneasy truce between the blue hearts and humans, which makes life under the domes on Mars possible. Would exposing what she knows make things better or worse? And how can she know for certain without exposing the secret?

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Romance, Ebooks, Aliens

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2013

About the author

Nicole writes stories exploring concepts of surveillance and how it effects human behavior, colonization, AI, robots, and a bunch of other impossible but cool scenarios. She studied folklore in college and believes that the best parts of any story touch on these living, changing elements of culture.

Reviews

[Ash Wednesday · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 STARS

Giving this a star because of Mei the crazy bestfriend. Anyone who observes Slapsgiving Day EVERYDAY is worthy of note, but anyone who exercises it against Retta deserves some love.



I sincerely believe that somewhere in the deep, blue heart of this book is a story worth telling. Like a needle lost in a haystack. In the middle of Hong Kong Central Station rush hour.



Which is such a disappointment because I am not a hardcore sci-fi reader precisely because my imagination is still trying to get its legs. And a sci-fi YA book on android-human love set in Mars sounds grounded enough to some realm of plausibility for an occasional dabbler like I am. After reading this for 5 days (which might as well be a month for me), I think I can safely claim that this did NOT do Blue Hearts of Mars any favors.

The summary is pretty encompassing. What it didn't mention is that in the world Retta and Hemingway lives in, androids are discriminated against. They're beautiful, strong and intelligent but humans look down upon them and deemed inferior because of the details in the fabric of their being: namely a blue heart. Hormonally drenched and blinded by Hemingway's perfection, Retta is motivated to defy her school, her family, her freaking government to get to the bottom of android discrimination and in the process, stumbles on a secret that will change everything.

Thrilling, right? Promising possibilities of world building, political intrigue maybe and a kickass heroine that will save the hero.

Okay this is the point where we have to recalibrate our expectations. Because this is a book that has this

I knew I was sounding desperate, but the time for caring about that ended when I first realized I wanted him. It was like he pulled the desperation out of me with his intense eyes and stupidly perfect smile. If I wasn't so smitten with him, I would have simply hated him for being a model of physical perfection.

And eventually climaxed with this

There is a kind of light that does not burn. The sun in our sky is a poor substitute for this light. All life begins as an intelligence. Another word for this is a soul.

I was going to spoiler tag that but it doesn't make really much sense. You can attempt to read this book up to that point (around 85%, I reckon) but it still won't make any sense. What makes it worse is that Retta doesn't understand it either... But she cries over it.

Awesome. It's like me crying over a Japanese drama show on the radio. (I speak no Japanese)

And since I've already started with the Retta-bashing, I'm just going to go with the ranting flow. Retta sounds like everything I don't like about girls her age: she's shallow, boy-crazy, judgmental, arrogant and likes to say 'like' plus the extra charm of other tics (ie. the hair-twirl. While talking to a guy.)



Finding a redeeming quality about our narrator was a definite challenge. Right to the bitter end.

Sure, she actively fought for equality between androids and humans... motivated by her burning need to hugkisslove Hemingway. Fair warning, she was a total horndog over the android (who was puff pastry much of the time, by the way) the entire first half of the book.

Sure she stands up for and defends her opinions... against the spineless secondary characters (ie. her dad who she openly calls a 'moron') whose sole purpose was to make Retta appear awesome. Fair warning, they fail.

Sure she thinks outside of the box coming up with the idea of replacing her sister's cardiomyopathic heart with one that is "made"... but she's not the kind of girl who'll come up with the idea that would require any sacrifice from her. she bulldozed through her father's protest against making her sister a cyborg and all I could think of was why can't Retta have the mechanical heart and give her own heart to her sister? Fair warning, Retta sucks as a daughter AND as a sister.

Sure she eventually came to become strong enough to defend herself physically... but her escape plan consists of ORDERING Hemingway to carry her as they flee from the bad guys.

Who by the way didn't really sound that bad nor the threats they posed scary.

I really want to say that the world building at least saved this but I feel short-changed by the limited imagination. The fact that the Mars created here was essentially earth with unimaginative names and details for cities (New Helsinki, New Tokyo, New Sydney), mildly funky gadgets and different currencies read a little on the lazy side, no matter the plot excuse. The story had a lot of potential to delve into the heavier subjects of religion, creation and what sets us humans apart which were either explained hazily or brushed aside in favor of Retta's mundane musings about a random character. This would've been forgivable if the intent was to be light and fluffy but the writing invites you to ask about these things but refuses to give any answers in a logical manner.

With plot twists happening without preamble, characters running away without anyone chasing them and coming back without anyone even caring, logic is clearly the least of this book's priorities. A certain fail for this genre. The final nail in the proverbial coffin being a lofty solution to the problem that would've made me want to get on my Bob Dylan, strumming "The Times They Are A'Changin" ... but this doesn't have the appropriate level of cool.

It was great. Really perfect. I mean, all I had to do was almost get defiled and killed to get him kissing me again. No big deal. I'm sure most girls execute similar plans all the time.

Something that was meant to be funny but just ended up rubbing me wrong.

So I guess we'll have to settle with Katy Perry's Teenage Dream instead.

ARC provided by the author thru Netgalley in exchange for an impartial, honest review... brought to you by a delayed flight and unlimited airport wifi.

[Kimmika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Taking a look around at the ratings this book has received so far, it looks like I might be on my own here. The fact is that I hated this book with a passion.

I was ok with the premises: sci-fi, romance, androids. Cool. But gosh, if I hated this Retta girl.

First of all, for someone who's supposed to be smart she seemed to be oddly immature and naive most of the time. But what bothered me the most is how superficial she appeared to be throughout the book. To begin with the whole core of the story, her relationship with the androids. It always looked like her main interest about them is how beautiful they are. So hey, what the heck if she wants to screw one, they shouldn't make them so hot! Good point, I guess.

It all looked a little shallow, though, when it basically became the basis of her relationship with her love interest, Hemingway, whom she practically fell in love with after two seconds flat. Why? But because, wow, he's so so hot.

The rest of the story is some star-crossed-lovers-Romeo-and-Juliet-Twilight-kind-of-thing: forbidden love, but who are you to judge, but we'll gonna show them all we are right and make a revolution while we are at it.

Bonus point for a best friend who's clearly a psychopath, who constantly beated and kicked poor Retta and became a bitch when left alone for 5 minutes.

Believe me, I really wanted to like this book, I tried. I didn't give up and read it all, but I'm sorry, we weren't meant to be.(less)

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

The blurb just doesn't do this book justice! After reading it, I wasn't expecting much beyond a dry sci-fi story about androids on Mars, but Retta's voice was actually really funny. She's an overly-dramatic hormonal teenager, but her saving grace is that she knows it. Her inner monologue is filled with lots of eye-rolling that she directs at herself for being...well, an overly-dramatic hormonal teenager. Her observations about herself and everyone around her was absolutely my favorite thing about this book.

The story is set hundreds of years in the future on Mars.
Because you couldn't have figured that part out on your own, right?
Mars has seceded from Earth, but the planets are on friendly terms at this point. Sort of like the the U.S and England, maybe? Originally, the planet was was made habitable by using metal machine-like androids that could withstand the harsh environment. No one is sure when it happened, but the androids that live on the planet now are almost impossible to distinguish from humans. However, if you look closely enough you can find their tells. Even though they live, work, and go to school with humans, they don't have any of the same rights or protection under the law. Humans are raised to believe androids (or Blue Hearts) are nothing more than soulless machines that should be happy they are allowed to exist at all. Why should they have rights?

Retta is still in high school when the story opens. She's a typical teenage girl whose main concerns are how to afford cool clothes and gadgets.
Gadgets?! Did I just write that?
Shit. I've officially turned into my grandmother.
"You kids and your new-fangled doohickeys...tsk, tsk."
Anyway, Rhetta is pretty unconcerned with the world around her, until she meets Hemingway. She knows he's an android, but something about him intrigues her (I'm going to go out on a limb, and say it's because he's super-hot). Over a cup of coffee, the Insta-Lovebug bites both of them pretty hard, and they decide to start dating. Which is a huge deal in their society, because dating an android is not just looked down upon, it's actually illegal. But the story would have only been about ten pages long if these two crazy kids didn't decide to buck the system, right?
To hell with the rules, we love each other!
Retta starts out clueless to the way androids are treated, but as their relationship progresses, she realizes that androids are more heavily persecuted than she ever imagined. Watching what Hemingway has to endure on a daily basis breaks her heart and opens her eyes. The more injustice she's exposed to, the more she wants to change things for all androids. But if she can't even convince her own father that Hemingway is human in every way that matters, what chance does she have to change an entire planet's bigotry?

They tough it out for a while, but eventually Hemingway breaks up with Retta to keep her safe. Brokenhearted, she is determined to find anything might be able to help them stay together. Even though he won't have anything to do with her anymore, she and a friend break into the building that 'builds' the androids (ok, I admit this part is fairly implausible, given that they are both high school students with no special 'spy' training), and manage to download shocking documents about what the company plans to do with androids.
Unfortunately, before she can do anything with the information... The Zombie Apocalypse Begins !
Kidding.
But how cool would that have been?!
Seriously, I don't want to give any more of the plot away, because it's well worth reading for yourself. I will say that in the end there's a great twist revealed that changes everything. Everything!
Still no zombies, though.
Oh well, you can't have it all...

This review can also be seen on http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013...

[Scott Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blue Hearts of Mars
Nicole Grotepas

Blue Hearts of Mars, by Nicole Grotepas, is a science fiction, YA romance about a seventeen-year-old girl and an android that fall in love. The girl (or young woman rather), Retta, goes to school and works to support her family. She encounter's a boy who exposes a world of prejudice and unfairness. Androids are a crucial part of society and Mars would never have been colonized without them. They are so human in appearance that most pass as humans. This gives rise to an interesting question: can an android have a soul? They are thinking, feeling, living entities with the capacity for love...

They are also smarter and stronger. It is not surprising that some humans fear and resent them and would not want their daughters (or sons) dating them.

The boy, Hemingway, seems the less powerful character, even though he has perfect memory and superhuman strength. But Retta makes all of the hard choices and stands up for what is right.

I mention this because Hemingway fades in and out of the picture, allegedly to protect Retta from the perils loving and android will bring. This is good, honorable, and realistic because human / android relationships are taboo in this story. Fine. Retta is the protagonist after all, so she should be center stage. I guess what I am trying to say, is that I like Retta better than Hemingway in this story.

I enjoyed Blue Hearts of Mars quite a bit. The book description sounded interesting and I was curious, though I almost passed on the book because Hemingway, as a character name, jolted me. Once I started reading, however, the name stopped distracting me and I began to like both the name and the character.

One of my favorite scenes is when Retta tells off other students in her class, choosing to stand up for her teacher who many believe is an android. This demonstrates her strong values and willingness to take risks. Retta stands up to her friends, her boss, and her father.

I would recommend this book for fans of science fiction, YA romance. If a reader is seeking hard science fiction about the colonization of Mars, this may not be the right book. The depiction of life on Mars is entertaining and the moral and social issues concerning androids that can pass for human (and some believe to have souls) is thought provoking.

I obtained a free copy of this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I am glad I did.

Goodreads uses a five start rating system. Three stars means I liked it, which I did. Blue Hearts of Mars almost earned four stars from me, which means I agonized on how to rate it.

[Kat Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Retta Heikkinen is in love with a boy--a thoroughly gorgeous, captivating, and mysterious boy known as Hemingway. The situation is rather ideal: he likes her, she likes him. There's just one little problem. --from goodreads synopsis of Blue Hearts of Mars.

And so the story starts for Retta Heikkinen, who is smitten by a gorgeous boy named Hemingway. They are just like any other young couple starting a new relationship. The only difference? They live on the planet Mars hundreds of years in the future. And Hemingway is an Android. Androids are not supposed to be with humans, they are machines… they have blue hearts… they are different.

They are discriminated against and taunted for being different. Sounds familiar, right? It seemed that humans and their judgmental ways were no different in the future. Hemingway explained things to Retta that made her question everything she ever thought about the Androids. And her deep feelings towards him only confirmed it.

Retta is ready to risk everything to make people accept their love. Retta and Hemingway are not only fighting for each other, but for their lives. Will their family, who did not want them to be together, help them?

I loved that even in the future when life as we know it is gone, the human spirit is still the same. People will be people! You can’t take that away no matter the technology. The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful.

I most generally don’t read science fiction, but I have to say this book was a great experience for me. The author described their home under the dome in such a believable and understandable way. It was easy to picture Retta and Hemingway and the life they lead. The technology was amazing and I found myself wanting some of their tech stuff right now. It’s clear the author has a great imagination.

After talking about this book to my 16 year old daughter as I was reading, she has added it to her TBR list as well. This is a great read for anyone who likes young adult, romance or science-fiction. According to the author, this book was wrote as a stand-alone, but I could really see their story continuing. I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!

[Emily Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I enjoyed this tremendously! I loved the world building, the plot, and all the creative ideas. While the book wasn't heart pounding or a "favorites shelf" book, I still was completely sucked in. Such a cool book... The characters were pretty awesome, the romance was sweet, and the book constantly gave off the vibe "Read More!"

The Androids theme was pulled off epicly! On Mars, Androids are considered completely below humans. It is terrible, really. This book is mostly about how much unfairness androids have to endure... and how Retta comes to want to change it, especially when she starts learning more about the "blue hearts". This was my favorite aspect of Blue Hearts of Mars.

In no part was this book boring. I whizzed right through all the pages. I especially loved how the author imagines Mars. The technology, school, and societies (such as one with scary weapons/abilities) all add to the setting. You know, Mars kinda reminded me of a dystopian world... but not quite.

The characters were pretty cool. I loved seeing how Retta changed throughout the novel. Also, the supporting cast was cool; Hemingway and his mother; and Retta's dad, sister, and friend, were all memorable and added to the story, especially since their personalities were sharp and different.

There were many plots in this book, some bigger than others. Most had to do with Androids though which made me happy. I loved learning and exploring this space world filled with mostly nice androids.I could say much more, as I think this book has many layers and discussion topics, but I'll stop here. Blue Hearts of Mars is a highly recommended fast and fun read.

4/5 bookcases

If you love creative novels try this one!

[Karen’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author as part of a Read and Review.

I love sci-fi! I love Mars and anything that has to do with colonizing Mars! So, yes, this story was right up my alley and I really enjoyed it! It was well written and well edited! Retta, a typical teen falls head over heels for a blue-heart, or android, which is looked down upon in Martian society and pretty much forbidden. The author takes us on a journey of discovery and truth about the blue hearts of Mars.

The world building of a future Mars was fairly plausible and I loved the idea of massive domes enclosing each city. (I was a little perplexed about Mars gravity. Would have liked to see it explained.). I've seen the space elevators idea used before so they made sense to me.

All in all, a good read and if there is a sequel, I would definitely check it out! The book ended with enough closure that a sequel would be a bonus, but not necessary.

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Read 2 Review - These are my honest thoughts

Before I say anything, I really, really liked this book. I think it has an intriguing concept and raises interesting questions about societal attitudes to themes like prejudice, spirituality, metaphysics, origins, creation, science and it is all done through allegory.

I think the general tone of the narrative is pitched well and sweetly written.

With all the above in mind, I think there are some areas that if tightened up will really make what is already an enjoyable read really something.

I think what could have been worked on a bit more was the pacing - it seemed a lot of dramatic things were happening (which is good), but there wasn't as much character development and setting along the way, which sometimes made the story seem a bit rushed.

For example, in the love story between Retta and Hemingway - it's not clear why they actually love each other (Hemingway comes to explain his feelings for Retta maybe in the last third of the book, but I feel that's too late).

As the story is told from Retta's point of view, she spends a lot of time commenting on the gorgeousness of Hemingway, his eyes, his body etc... but not much about his personality. One of the main points made over and over again in the book is the fact that Hemingway, along with all the other androids has a soul, a real personality and real emotions (and that's important), yet it seems like Retta is more focussed on what he looks like rather than anything else. She occasionally says something about Hemingway's nature, but if we're to really fall in love with Hemingway as a character, as much as Retta falls in love with him (and in turn, root for the androids and see them as Retta sees them), then we need a bit more than descriptions of Hemingway's eyes, his build, his butt... I want to know what it is about Hemingway that Retta really loves, because they are sweet together, I can see it from the text.

In order to drive the point home about Hemingway being more than just a robot or a machine, I think it's really important that his personality or his soul truly shines through - more could have been made of that, to really solidify this character in the reader's mind as a living, breathing person.

The other thing I think could be improved is the pacing (and what I've mentioned above comes into this as well - Aside from a brief sort of relationship at the beginning, in the first third or so of the book Retta and Hemingway are not together as Hemingway thinks it would be too dangerous for Retta. So for a period of time, they are not getting to know each other, their relationship is not developing, etc.

Then due to situation and circumstance they are thrown together again, and following this they decide to run away together. While they are on the run, they marry. Now that's fine, but the pacing issue comes in where it seems a little rushed or forced, because there has been no relationship development between the two of them. I get that it was love at first sight and they're teenagers so their feelings are a lot more intense, BUT I do feel that if Hemingway and Retta were more developed as characters in their own right and it was made more apparent WHY they love each other as much as they do in the beginning (before their period of separation), then the cosy little wedding in the hotel room where they tenderly express their love for one another would have been more believable and would have felt less rushed.

When they were on the run, the writing was tense and exciting, because this evil organisation called the IRS was after them - however, at some points the sense of urgency and danger was lost. I say this because Retta kept uploading controversial bits of information about androids and they way they're built up to the internet from whichever hotel room they were in, and I couldn't understand how 200 years in the future they weren't immediately traceable. Even I sitting here at my laptop, can be found pretty quickly from my IP address.

It seemed that the IRS agents would be walking around with little holo-images of Retta and Hemingway for reference, hoping they might bump into them so they could take them into custody.. I couldn't understand how with Retta's constant messaging on-line without anonymity they couldn't be traced much sooner and easier than they were, and that for me sometimes detracted from the tension and sense of danger that should have been there.

There were two characters that could have been developed and thought out a bit more. Retta's father, and her friend Mei.

Retta's dad - When Retta is attacked and then rescued by Hemingway, he takes her to his home. He then contacts her dad, and tells him that she's been attacked, but that he will tell her dad when he can come and collect her while she recuperates.

Now, I'm not a parent, but I have parents, and I have seen how other parents are with their children. If my mother or father received a call from a boyfriend of mine that they don't approve of, telling them that I had been attacked by a man, there is no way they would let me stay at my boyfriend's house and await a further call from my boyfriend giving them permission to come get me... I don't think that's realistic of a loving parent - especially one that is drawn as overprotective and strict in the story.

The other thing that didn't quite make sense to me was in the beginning and throughout the story it is made very clear that Retta's dad has a prejudice against androids, and he most certainly does not approve of Retta's relationship with one. So I don't understand his anger towards Hemingway for dumping Retta for the very same reasons he didn't believe they should be together.

Mei - I appreciate she was loyal in the end and really helped Retta out, but for some reason I didn't find her very likeable. Some of the things she said and the way she was portrayed as behaving seemed a little bit odd, but not in a quirky endearing kind of way.

I've noticed some other reviews have said the ending was a little bit too idealistic, and I think I would have to agree with that to an extent, but I think again it was to do with pacing. I feel the way events unfolded in general throughout the story needed to be developed more and stretched out a bit. Take a bit of time and really thicken it up a bit. Explain more about why the characters do the things they do, say the things they say, and feel the way they do.

Ultimately, there is a beautiful story here. I think the author was very successful with bringing Mars to life with her descriptive language – I felt like I could really visualise it all and that made it come alive in my imagination. I’ve rated this book four stars. I really want to give it five stars, because the concept and the story itself is that good, however I wanted a little bit more character development and little more time taken to set out the events as they unfold.

I would definitely recommend this - go out and read it :)

[CL · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.0 stars.
Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas is an interesting book with a good plot line. The cover is absolutely breathtaking and when I first read the synopsis I knew that I wanted to read it; however, this book took a while for me to get into and I felt like parts of it were too unrealistic for my tastes.

This novel takes place in the future where humans live on Mars as well as on Earth. Seventeen year old Retta Heikkinen quickly falls in love with Hemingway, the only catch is that Hemingway is an android. Androids and humans are forbidden from having relationships, which causes lots of problems for the two lovebirds.

Retta goes in search for the reasons behind why she cannot just be happy with Hemingway. She doesn't see the blue hearts as being any different than humans, so why are the rules so strict prohibiting their relationship? Retta discovers shocking secrets and unsettling truths about the world she lives in and begins a mission that could change the lives of both humans and androids on Mars forever.

While the plot line and overall story of this book really intrigued me, I couldn't really lose myself in the characters. I personally found the whirlwind romance between Retta and Hemingway unbelievable, which tainted my opinion of the rest of the book. I mean the two claimed they fell in love after being together for a week! Not just that, but Retta repeatedly brought up the fact that they were only together for a week throughout her internal struggles about whether or not Hemingway was worth the fight. I found Retta infuriating throughout the first half of the book and found her best friend Mei almost intolerable.

Mei was not a true friend to Retta until the end of the book, but by that point there was no way for Mei to redeem herself, at least in my eyes. Hemingway, Marta, and Sonja were my favorite characters and really touched me, but I don't think they were as involved in the first half of the novel as they should have been.

While reading the first half of the book, I grew tired of Retta's internal struggle about whether she loved Hemingway or not. Once Retta made a decision and started to investigate her society I started to genuinely begin to like the book. The second half of the book was very enjoyable, and I found myself wanting to find out what the big secret was and what would happen to the androids. The final chapters of Blue Hearts of Mars had me sitting on the edge of my seat willing myself to read faster.

Overall I think that this book was good but not great. It was a quick read that I did enjoy but it took me a while to get into it. I found the main protagonist to be annoying and thought that the romance happened way too quickly without Hemingway and Retta really knowing anything about eachother. The middle and end of the book surprised me and I found that I actually enjoyed it. I really liked the idea of androids and humans living on Mars, but I wish the book focused more on the mystery and less on the romance.

As this book went on I started to like it more and more, but the rocky beginning is keeping me from giving it anything higher than 3.0 stars. This book is a good quick read that got me thinking about some of the bigger pictures in life, and I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn't get myself to.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read the plot of Blue Hearts of Mars, it sounds really promising and interesting. The cover also looks amazing! But...
Blue Heart is a science fiction, a story about a future of humans living on Mars with so called androids. Androids are said to be made by humans, to help them settle on Mars. Later humans, lets say perfected androids, making them look and act like humans, except for an incredible strength androids have. It looks like they made androids a part of human society, even through androids are just a "machines" with no real feelings, they even have a blue heart...oh so they say.... Because androids are not really human, the relationship between androids and humans is forbidden, it is against all laws of humanity. But Retta falls deeply in love with a blue heart, Hemingway, and he too, loves her. She doesn't see him as an android, she sees his as a human, because he loves her, so he has to be human, right? So why does the law forbid two people who love each other so much be together? She needs to find answers, she needs to be with him. But now government wants to take Hemingway away from her. So what do you do in situation like this? Well you run. If that doesn't work, because everyone is after you, what do you do? Simple, just try to change everyone's mind, save the androids, destroy the bad guys. There, we have a plan.
Basically that's what the whole plot is about, trying to be with someone you can truly be with, because everyone is out to stop you. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked the plot of the book. It got my attention. But it didn't work as good as I thought it would. Some parts just didn't work for me. Like I found the relationship between Retta and Hemingway unreal, I just didn't feel connection between them, like them falling in love with each other was just to fast, in my opinion. I got tired of Reeta's character, at first she loves him to death and than she can't decide if he's worth fighting for. She just annoyed me, so did her friend Mia, I only started liking her towards the end of the book. I have to say I liked Hemingway a lot more than Reeta. But still I would of wanted to get more into characters, and I really did try, but it just didn't work for me. I only started to like the book towards the end of it, I really wanted to know the secret that Reeta found out.
Overall I couldn't really decide what I through about the whole book. The first half of the book I didn't like. I also didn't like characters all that much. I only started getting into the book towards the end. So I will give it three stars, because of interesting plot and the end of the book. I think more people can enjoy it, but it just didn't work for me.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Hearts of Mars is a rather unique story that has a unique mesh of revolution, androids, and moral/social issues. We are introduced to the city New Helsinki which is inside a massive dome on the surface of Mars. There is one major difference between the Martian colonies and Earth (other than being on a different planet) and that’s the androids, also known as Blue Hearts. They are an integral part of their society and yet they don’t stand on even ground with humans and their existence is taken for granted.

The overall plot was something new for me and whenever I got a free moment I spent it reading about Retta and Hemingway. I love that it mirrors some social and moral issues that we can see in our own history, and that it kind of nudges you and makes you think. The romance does start off in a bit of an insta-love moment, but the whole relationship stands for something more in the grand scheme of things so I didn’t mind so much. They have an interesting dynamic and I enjoyed most of their interaction with each other. I will admit that the romance is not my favorite part of this book, as I was hooked on the social issues going on with android and human population. I loved that this book brought a rather interesting question to the forefront, ‘What makes a human truly human?’ Is the it the sum of all of our parts or is it something more? It’s a very big question and its not one that comes with an easy answer, so it was really interesting to see this question being asked by one person to begin with and then seeing it spread to others. I thought that the overall sciene fiction aspect of the story was handled really well and everything was explained in a way that its easy to understand.

Retta is a girl who initially is fairly shallow and a bit stuck in her own personal bubble. She’s not particularly likeable in the beginning but as she opens her eyes more to the world around her she becomes a better person. It does take a bit of external force (Hemingway and her attraction to him) to get her to open her eyes but she does and ends up working to show others the same things. Mei, Retta’s best friend, is a beyond cooky. If there were ever a character that I’d label as a tad crazy it would be Mei. I did like the fact that none of the relationships in this novel are perfect, each has its problems and even though some of those problems are a bit more…eccentric I still like that they weren’t cookie cutter.

This tied up nicely at the end so I’m pretty sure that this is a stand alone novel, but I’m definitely going to be looking for more of her novels because I enjoy her style.

I received this in exchange for an honest review.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Telling Verses Showing.

I would like to begin this review by saying I didn't hate the book. But I felt like I was missing so much from it. I had a hard time getting into it and found myself not wanting to finish it. I do think the arthor has a great concept of dealing with future life on mars, forbidden love, and trying to deal with the government, from someone who lives underneath it. I felt like the book was to fast and I think that the author could have push all three of these themes in 3 different books. That was my first and main issue with the book, The pacing of the book needed to slow down.

The second issue I had with the book was the lack of description. I felt like the arthor spent to much time telling us a story, instead of showing me life on Mars. The only time I felt like I got really any detail was the last few chapters. The author did a great job describing her best friend father and their home and I felt like that was the description I had been waiting for through out the entire book.

I did not feel like the dialogue or the characters were believable enough. I understand that Hemingway was a android and she was trying to show him like every one else. But I felt like I needed him to have issues with human emotions or situations. I just did not feel like anything that was told of the character was believable, I just felt like he was a human, who said unbelievable dialogue. Everything felt way to mature for the age levels that were being displayed in the book. One example that really bothered me was when the main character thought about sex. I feel like the thoughts didn't mesh with the main character.

I did have a problem with the sister story and felt like it completely changed the books direction. Again, I felt like this was a whole new story could have been told in the second or third book.

Again, I want to say that I did not hate the book. I just think the book needs more details of the people, places, and things that are happening/feeling. I would love to reread this concept as a trilogy, where everything is paced out well and the story felt more free flowing. I just felt like it jump way to much and the author didn't give any room for real development of her story.

[Clyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing possibilities of Transhumanesque romance. - My review isn't fair.

Let me expand on the latter part of the above sentence.
I started reading the story but quickly found myself getting puzzled by what "seemed" like tense jumping. It looked like at one point the MC is thinking out aloud, yet a couple sentences later she seems to be addressing the reader directly. The effect was to pull and push me.

An example is on page 9: "Before I go any further, let me just explain that I’d never done or felt anything like this in my life. It’s forbidden." I would have just started with "I'd never done or felt anything like this..."

A few lines after: That’s what the kids at school call them. To be jerks. And sometimes I called them that too, well, really, everyone did. If it's past tense then the "kids at school call them" should have been "kids at school called them"

I'm sure it's just me, but I did stumble on such back and forth over quite a few pages to make me eventually stop reading. Now, something so trivial is no reason to give up on a book and not fair either, but I guess my tastes in scifi also lean way too much on hard-science and this seems like a sci-fi romance aimed at YA audiences and I'm thinking YA is not my genre.

Thirdly, I'm biased toward wanting less "insta-love". Again, I guess since I'm not 17, in hindsight I've forgotten what love-at-first-sight's all about.

The premise of human - andriod love really interests me, as an Andriod is so close to what Transhumanism *could* evolve into. So I rate this novel 4 stars.

The author does have a good way with dialog and maybe the author paints a more visual picture of the world later? For example, I'd love to know what it is/was like, under the Helsinki Dome looking around and looking out, but I didn't get much of a visual from the introduction of the dome. Perhaps the atmosphere slowly reveals it's self as the story progresses? This is why my 4 star rating, because it's unfair to grade a book by the first few chapters.

I will return to this book at some point as I'm sure there will be some food for thought on human-android relationships.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a captivating read with a youthful voice and tempo. The chemistry between Retta and Hemingway hums unerringly throughout the pages. Both are likeable, and even though they have vastly different upbringings, both are honorable and especially broadminded. The chasm between the “machines” and humans is broad and deep. This future culture makes sense. It is unthinkable that a human would fall in love with an android; and yet Retta falls in love with Hemingway. As Retta searches for answers she uncovers secrets and a plot with wide-spread ramifications; Its implications devastating to her personally but also to an entire endangered hidden species.


This is a well-told story that takes a fantastical concept and logically develops it so that the reader falls under its spell. I particularly liked the way in which it examines, under the guise of science fiction, how cultural beliefs and attitudes can seem so right but might actually be based on faulty premises and outright clever lies. It reads quickly and easily; I was rapidly drawn into Retta’s adventures. I loved the description of Mars and its various domed cities connected by high-speed trains running through a network of tunnels. This is a mesmerizing story from an author whose imagination seems limitless. I am looking forward to more adventures and finding out what sort of backlash Retta and Hemingway must endure next in their quest to reveal the truth.


Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Tom Krug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start off with a summary and delve into the specifics.
The pros:
- Very talented writing
- Decent, even likeable characters
- Convincing setting
- Great for Young Adult readers

The cons:
- Cheesy, Twilight-ripoff romance
- Too-convenient plot twists
- Ham-handed symbolism

Two young lovers about to graduate high school are secretly infatuated with each other, but kept apart by a world too cruel to see past their differences. Finally they throw caution to the wind and confess their love for each other. The world continues to set itself against their love. So they do the only thing they can: they run away. And when it turns out they can't escape the reach of the semi-dystopian, semi all-powerful powers-that-be, they decide to do the next best thing: change the world.

As I read this, I tried and failed to fight down a recurring thought: "This is Twilight. On Mars. With androids." I mean look at the love interest: Like Edward, he's secretly infatuated with Retta but doesn't approach her right away because he's afraid what she'll think when she realizes what he is. Like Edward, he's functionally immortal. Like Edward, his eyes sparkle and stuff. Like Edward, he can jump ludicrous heights and sprint twice as fast as any human. Like Edward, he breaks up with Retta for her protection, because he loves her too much to see her get hurt!

It's reasonably safe to say that every romance story follows this basic formula: Two lovers meet. The world doesn't accept their love (the girl's parents are rich snobs, the boy goes off to war, one of the pair has a mortal illness, etc etc). The couple succeeds against all odds and makes their love work. This isn't to say that it's a bad formula. But I'm not going to give Nicole Grotepas any credit for following it the letter.

In this case, the fatal flaw in the star-crossed lovers' relationship is the fact that the boy, Hemingway, is an Android. Mars society doesn't accept them as human, and it's 'forbidden' for humans and androids to share a relationship. Every character in the story except Retta (the protagonist) and Hemingway seem to operate according to this rule despite having no logical reason why. When Retta challenges them and asks why human-android love is forbidden, their replies are always along these same lines: they sputter, shake their heads, and blurt, "Because it is!"

It's typical for Sci-Fi to reflect social issues of the time in which it is written. And indeed, Sci-Fi books SHOULD do this on some level. But in Blue Hearts of Mars, the correlation between android-human love and the post-modern debate over homosexuality is so obvious that sometimes, I just had to roll my eyes.

My overall dislike for this book was compounded by a solid collection of convenient plot twists. Why is it that two teenage girls are able to break into a corporate building so easily, not once but twice? Why are the heroes able to elude the all-powerful dystopian government's special agency (hilariously abbreviated the 'IRS') with such startling frequency, simply by running away on foot? It seems to me that Mars is populated with trains that always depart at the exact right time for the heroes to slip away from their pursuers. Furthermore, why is it that after Retta's face is broadcast on every single screen on Mars, her own friends and family fail to recognize that she's wanted? In fact, despite her fugitive status, she's able to return to her home city and live with impugnity! And lastly, I won't spoil the ending, but it was utterly unconvincing.

In short, there was a lot of sleight of hand in this story. I felt a little cheated, honestly. I experienced a moment along the lines of, "Really? It was that easy?" every thirty pages or so, it seems.

Oh and The Voice? Why introduce him? He never did anything! Retta meets him once, tells him all these world-ending revelations that she found out when she randomly broke into a heavily-secured corporate building, and what does he do? He just nods and tells her basically, "Yes you're right, the world is so unjust! Androids are human too! But I knew this all along!" And that's the last we ever see of him. The kicker? Retta mentions this exchange in hindsight. It's almost as if Nicole wanted to give The Voice a bigger role but had to delete a few scenes to save space. The result? A waste of the reader's time.

This isn't to say I disliked all of it. Retta has a sort of brattish, teenage charm to her once you're able to get into her head. I think Nicole Grotepas pulled off the teenage girl mentality pretty well, and the narrator's voice was convincing, and sometimes witty enough to make me smile a bit. Her best friend Mei is suitably loyal and petty at the same time, like most teenage girlfriends are (I think?). Retta's love interest, Hemingway, is a noble sort of kid (it's never actually said how old he is, which leads to disturbing moments when Retta describes his 'salt-and-pepper brown hair') and pretty likeable on the whole.

Of course there's a lack of any real antagonist to contend with. Hans, a spoiled upperclass prig, is an infuriating character (good job, Nicole), but like the IRS (hehe), he's too easily dispatched to be an effective antagonist. The IRS: a huge, faceless government organization founded to collect and mind-wipe androids. Oh, and they're utterly incompetent. An organization that specializes in catching androids fails to apprehend Hemingway at every turn, despite having him cornered at least once, possibly twice. Again, an easily dispatched antagonist. Oh, and uncaring, pig-headed society? No problem. Retta's got this. Her heartfelt oratory and a rather unconvincing out-of-the-blue revelation will turn them all around.

Retta's charming, but not THAT charming.

Okay, here's why I'm going to give the book three stars. First off, I was able to finish it. That's two stars right there. I award a third because the writing was actually good. Nicole Grotepas knows how to construct a sentence and vary her vocabulary without sending her readers scrambling for the nearest dictionary. I think YA readers would appreciate that. The characters were alright. I wouldn't have shed a tear if any of them died, but that's okay. I liked the ones I was supposed to like, I hated the ones I was supposed to hate. That's a win. The setting (Mars and its various colonies) was convincing, though not very engrossing.

And honestly, I now realize that YA is not my genre. I think teens could appreciate this book. I just can't. It could well be true that I'm nitpicking this book as if it's written to an Adult audience. It's not. I'd say it's a good YA book for readers who don't know any better.

In summary...
The pros:
- Very talented writing
- Decent, even likeable characters
- Convincing setting
- Great for Young Adult readers

The cons:
- Cheesy, Twilight-ripoff romance
- Too-convenient plot twists
- Ham-handed symbolism

*** Three stars ***

But for God's sake Nicole, please don't mention the galaxies swirling in Hemingway's eyes anymore. We get the idea. His eyes are really cool and they have little lights in them.

[Christina · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

What a terrible book. 10% in and I stopped because wow, tween diary of a self-centered, all-hormone-no-brain brat wanting to be hot shit much?

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Themes of forbidden love, fighting injustice and inequality, discovering government cover-ups and coming of age love are always appealing to me, but melding them with a young adult Sci-Fi set in an earth colony on Mars involving humans and androids makes this story something that I was unable to pass up.

The story opens when a human girl, Retta, working in a mall coffee shop meets her first android, Hemingway. She is enchanted by him from the start. He's gorgeous and he's personable. His warmth, intelligence, humor and kindness make him more appealing than any of the human boys she knows. Hemingway seems to like her a lot too and is surprised at her ready acceptance of him when she knows he's an android. On the Mars of 150 years into the future, androids were at best second rate citizens and generally looked upon with disgust which is why many blended in with the humans since they looked human keeping what they are a secret as much as possible.

Almost immediately, the two decide to defy the social norms and the law to try dating. Opposition comes from Retta's father who is fearful for what will come of this decision, but Retta is blissfully defiant. It only lasts a week before Hemingway himself breaks it off with her because he fears for Retta. Retta doesn't accept the explanation, but goes her separate way. Meanwhile, she distracts herself from the pain of the break-up by researching the androids to learn as much as possible. She and her best bud even break into the company that makes the androids and uncover several secrets with the biggie being the government's decision to send the androids ahead to set up another planet for colonization. Another biggie is the proof that the androids aren't much different than humans in their make-up. Soon events start moving along fast with the government not sitting still while Retta tries to give voice to her new-found knowledge.

Generally, I am not one to refer to my rating decision in the body of my review, but I feel some explanation is necessary here. I rated this one based on what I'll call 'potential' for lack of a better word. There were many things that would have made me rate this book lower and I will elaborate so others can form their own opinion whether my issues are non-issues for them. However, I couldn't give it too low a rating because the creative world-building and bones of the plot were so wonderful. Its the fleshy details that bothered me.

Now what do I mean by all that. The idea of setting the story on Mars in the future, the tension between humans and androids, and the cover-up stuff about the androids was fabulous. The basic plotline of human girl and android boy falling in love, parting for their protection, sneaking around to make discoveries and then to do what they can for the android race to be accepted was again, abso-fab.
But-
I wasn't a fan the heroine. Retta acted ten, but thought she was thirty. The story is told from Retta's perspective in first person so there was no getting a break from her voice and thoughts. To be fair, there was some improvement by the end.
The story contained a couple of my pet peeves too. I disconnect when a seventeen year old girl has two brief conversations with a boy and determines she's in love and can never be parted from him. I also disconnect when I am confronted with a petulant, angry child who somehow gets to treat her parent like he's an idiot and ignorant with their roles reversed. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm well aware that adults can be blinded by emotion or act/respond out of ignorance on occasion, but I am not keen to see a parent put down just to promote the kid because they're the protagonist. In this case, even though Retta's dad was wrong, he still looked better than she did- well at times they both just looked bad.
I also had trouble from the very start with staying in the story. The very beginning leaps into the middle of a conversation between the main characters making me feel like I had missed something before that would have led me to this point. There were moments that should have garnered deep emotions or immediate action, but didn't and other moments that I had no idea what got the character so worked up. The story flitted from scene to scene without much transitioning so it was like I was being jerked away before I was quite done and plopped down into something new.
Now those are just my issues and someone else might not even care or notice. Tastes differing and all that so...

When all's said and done, do I recommend this one? Yes! It is safe in the hands of even the youngest teen and it does provide a creative storyline and diverting plot. Hemingway is a doll, his mother an eccentric genius and Retta's best friend Mei was just over the top. The story sends a great message to make us all think about respect for differences in others and acceptance of said differences. Fans of YA Sci-Fi Romance might want to give this a try.

[CCAM&GZM · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Who is me? What am I, that I have thought, that I think this, now?”

Blue Hearts of Mars has all the chances to please many.

What seems someway quiet at first assumes tension. What begins with a flirt amplifies to planetary proportions.

It is a love story that blends perfectly with a... social one. Because yes, even in the era in which we’ll conquer the space and will populate other planets we will not rid off vices which unfortunately are firmly planted in many of us.

In terms of forbidden relationship, the story is beautiful and has something special which singularize it. We will accept and we already accepted – at least in movies and books - the idea of a supernatural relationship. But how we’ll look at a relationship with an android even if it/he's perfectly gorgeous one? A synthetic person, but who has self-consciousness, thinking, feelings and especially empathy. What is the soul and what makes us human? How much actually matter the differences between us? From this point of view the book points out gently, but clearly some problems worth thinking about.

„Something alive. Something brilliant and self-aware. That was the most important thing about it, right?”

Because love makes you face any obstacle, a law cannot stop those who truly love. As nature always finds a way, love also will find a loophole and will provide a chance to come true. The relationship between the two oscillates under the baneful influence of society and the risks that they must decide to assume.

«“Is it the rules that make you do something? Or is it yourself?” he asked.»

Caught in a society ruled by interests (read greed and power-hungry) lovers get to be the center of a social struggle and from this point the book is changing into an action one. Since the two of them decide about their relationship, the fight for it and for their survival as living beings, born or created, begins. This transition is smooth, because the author had the inspiration to prepare everything by introducing clues and references from the beginning. You register them and at the right time you’ll recognize their value as useful clues. There are also red herrings, misleading people, and the author will surprise that reader who thought that he anticipated everything.

Although some decisions and actions seem unlikely, they bring the plus tension necessary to an action book, and the characters youth is an absolute asset. The main characters, who probably will be added to your preferred ones, receive some unexpected help that gives them facile resolutions to some important issues.

“But I like that about you. Living on the edge. Not afraid of the dangers, or just unaware of how bad they can be.” She gave me a mysterious smile. “It might come in useful.”

The rhythm is sustained and fluent, something always happens or occurs. The reader’s attention will be maintained whether they are love scenes, whether they are fight or chase ones.

Admirable is also the fact that everything happens on a Mars colony whose description and presentation is as easily viewed as is well technically (SF) and human argued.

As I said, there are great chances that Blue Hearts will attract many fans.

http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

[Gwynn White · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I saw this book on a blog I read, fell in love with the cover and immediately downloaded it onto my Kindle. I'm so glad I did. I love sci-fi and this didn't disappoint.

Nicole Grotepas is not scared to explore some interesting concepts about intelligence, the soul and humanity. A lot of her views resonate with me. But don't think this is a heavy philosophical book. It's not.
It's a quick fun read with a well thought out plot, interesting characters and amazing world-building.

Retta lives on Mars, which has been inhabited by humans for two hundred and fifty years. The first colonies were build by Androids, but instead of the machines being dismantled after the building was done, they became more complex, replicating humans in almost every way. They now look so similar that it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Androids think, feel, have souls, procreate and love - just like humans do. But, like all draconian societies driven by prejudice, it's forbidden by law for humans and Androids to marry, even though they live side-by-side in their domed cities. Even being friends is frowned upon.

Of course, something as silly as that does not stop Retta and Hemingway - a super hot, sexy Android - from falling in love. Their relationship catapults them into a rebellion against the government. What follows is an action-packed, fast-paced adventure with a sweet love story.

The book is narrated by Retta and I enjoyed being in her head. She's a fiery eighteen-year-old who can't be kept down by hate or prejudice - even when it comes from her own family. I especially liked Hemingway. His character is beautifully fleshed-out and as we come to know him , we see that he's tough, but also gentle, protective when it comes to the human girl he loves.

Initially the love between Retta and Hemingway seemed a bit insta, and there was the usual amount of teenage angst one finds in many young adult reads. Happily their love developed into something credible that will last.

One of the things I really liked was the involvement of both Hemingway and Retta's families. That is very refreshing for a young adult read where absentee parents are usually the norm.

Although I enjoyed the book, there were a few things that bugged me enough to knock off half a star.

1. It's two hundred and fifty years since these people arrived here, but Retta still refers to celebrities, fashion icons and culture from twenty first century Earth! It kept ripping me out of Nicole Grotepas's very credible Mars world-building. Surely, after all this time, they'd have there own culture?

2. In one part of the book they are being chased by very determined government officials and their images are being flashed to every citizen on Mars. This added greatly to the tension. But as soon as it no longer suited the plot, all their pursuers vanished and no one recognized them.

These two things are definitely minor niggles that shouldn't stop you reading this fun book.

[Elsa Carrion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Blue Hearts of Mars
Author: Nicole Grotepas
Format: ebook 260
Genre: YA Futuristic Fantasy Romance Novel
Cover: Loved it
Characters: Retta & Hemingway
Rating: 4 stars
Series: No
Language: None
Sex Scenes: None
Setting: Planet Mars

Story Brief:
Seventeen-year-old Retta Heikkinen is in love with a boy--a thoroughly gorgeous, captivating, and mysterious boy known as Hemingway. The situation is rather ideal: he likes her, she likes him. There's just one little problem.

He's a blue heart, an android.

Being in a relationship is its own complicated mess, but how long can a forbidden love last? Soon Retta discovers a secret that could destroy the uneasy truce between the blue hearts and humans, which makes life under the domes on Mars possible. Would exposing what she knows make things better or worse? And how can she know for certain without exposing the secret.

Opinion/Review:
While reading the story I could not help but compare the struggles that these two characters had to deal with from their society to the struggles that minorities have had and continue to have in today’s society. Because Hemingway was an android he was treated differently, he was considered property, he had no rights, he was abused verbally, mentally and physically, but although he did not like it, it’s all he has known. Then Retta comes into his life and turns his world upside down.
Retta is 17 with a good heart; she doesn’t understand why Hemingway is treated so differently when he is obviously nicer and better looking than the other hateful human boys her age. She likes him but this feeling will bring her nothing but hard-ache. Retta at first seems to be a little clueless, and wimpy. I didn’t enjoy her character in the beginning at all, however, by the end of the story she had turned 18 and her character changes so much that I started enjoying the story and her character more. She stands up for her teacher but more importantly she stands up for the love she has for Hemingway. No matter what the regular humans and her father said about the relationship, she stepped up and defended their love.
Retta and Hemingway find some information about the biggest most influential corporation in their district and know they must run for both their sake. They begin to protest about right and equal treatment for Hemingway and people like him while on the run. They are chased from city to city with the threat if they are caught their memories will be erased. But, something happens back at home and they must stop running and return home, the inevitable happens and they find Hemingway.

Recommendation:
I recommend this fast paced action filled YA romance story If you don’t mind pulling out the dictionary for a few words.

Notice:
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.


http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

http://www.amazon.com/review/R12RGTNX...

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had just come off a read for review that was a DNF. So you can imagine, as a reader, how down I was feeling. I went straight into Blue Hearts of Mars thinking that I had lost my mojo but quickly found myself loving the story and the fabulous writing. This story is unique in so many ways. You may think, androids, been there, done that. Don’t think that! You may think, teenage girl carelessly treating her life like it doesn’t matter. Don’t think that either! What you can think is a new evolution of life. Something other than the normal, something powerful, something driven, something full of never-ending possibilities.

The story takes place in a colonized Mars. Humans and androids living under domes. Androids that look, talk and behave just like humans. But…the rumor is, they have blue hearts. This is enough to drive the prejudices of inequality. But…do they have blue hearts? Are they oh so much different than us? This story starts out as a love story. Teen girl..teen android boy..a love, like Romeo and Juliet’s that is considered intolerable but theirs is also illegal. But this story turns into so much more than a love story. It is a story that has another layer to it, a story within a story. And there is an awesome twist near the end that puts the humans on Mars in a tailspin.

Most of the story I found that I liked. There is romance, but it’s subtle, not strangling you. There is the acknowledgment of sex without having to go into details and it fits perfectly into the story. I think if the author had gone more in depth with it, it wouldn’t have made the story better. Kind of like some of the movies you see where there is nudity and you’re thinking, why, it wasn’t necessary and it didn’t do a thing to make the movie more interesting. I also liked the description of the colonized Mars. The similarities of life between living on Earth and Mars but with the differences also noted in the details.

What I didn’t like? All the constant running of Hemingway and Retta. There’s an agent, run this way. There’s another agent, run that way. Running and running. Okay, we got to learn a bit more of the Mars world this way, but it felt a bit exhausting to me, the reader. Oh, and Hemingway’s super strength and super speed. It was a nice touch, but it felt a bit like a knock off Superman. With the conclusion of the story, you want to wag your finger at them both and say, see, you didn’t have to run around like crazy people, the answers were already available for you if you had just asked and thought it all out.

Do I recommend this book? A resounding YES. For lovers of YA sci-fi, this will satisfy your craving. For lovers of dystopia, this gives you human life on another planet but without Earth being destroyed or war ridden. For lovers of action, this gives you plenty to keep you on your toes. An all-around good read that will have you thinking long after the last word is read.

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a distant future, Earth has colonized other planets, such as Mars. Mars has become independent of Earth,attempting to have an entire dependent society while still being human. 17 year old Retta faces a problem. She lusts after a very attractive boy named Hemmingway.The problem is that he is an android, a man made creation that is inferior to man, a non entity really, with a blue heart. She tries to stay away from him, but ultimately the heart wants what the heart wants and the two have a relationship against the odds.
This was not just a romance, but really a social commentary about limits and boundaries we place on people and how unjust they are. Throughout the book, humans made harsh comments about the blue hearts, just assuming they were evil and cruel, and that they have no value in society even though they are responsible for the fact Mars is livable. Blue hearts are treated as if they are property with the only value being how they can be used. The fact the blue hearts have souls, free will and consciences means nothing.
The main character Retta begins the book very shallow, only interested in Hemmingway because she is attracted to his beauty not who he is inside. She ended up growing and maturing through the book, turning into a strong supporter of equal rights and fairness. She is willing to sacrifice her life to make the world better for the blue hearts.
I had a problem with the romance a little bit because they only knew each other for a week before Hemmingway broke up with her, yet she pinned for him for months and then "loved" him as soon as they were reunited. It was not as believable as it could have been for me. Maybe if they spent more time just being friends I would have felt the love instead of feeling like it came out of nowhere. I also wanted more about their future and if they really could have children and if the were allowed to legally marry, ect...about how their lives would work out. The book I believe was a standalone so it ended well enough, but I personally wanted more loose ends drawn out for me.
I did not like her friend Mei at the beginning of the book,but after what she is willing to go through for Retta she is a friend for life. Overall a very interesting story, unlike anything I have read before.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Patricia Hamill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale of love in the face of injustice and fear.

Blue Hearts of Mars is an analogy for civil rights and how the general public can be influenced to fear and despise those who are different. The story begins with the birth of Hemingway, an android: coming into self-awareness, his mother welcoming him, and sleep. Alive despite his origins.

Flash forward and Retta, a seventeen year-old girl working at a coffee shop, notices the most handsome boy she's ever seen walking into her life. She and Hemingway hit it off immediately, but almost right away she sees stars in his eyes, his "tell", the thing that sets androids apart from humans. This beautiful boy, this caring, exciting handsome boy who adores her and whom she adores is an android.

Martian humans consider androids nothing more than machines, in fact the word "machine" is considered derogatory when used in reference to an android. Relationships between humans and androids are taboo, and androids are often ridiculed and tormented. How can a love like Retta's and Hemingway's survive the malice of their social order?

I thoroughly enjoyed this love story set in a plausible future colony on Mars. The history of the androids and their rise to self awareness is gradually and effectively introduced. The romance between Retta and Hemingway isn't a perfect journey to happily forever after, a good thing in my opinion. I also enjoyed how concepts like the influence of government and media on public opinion, diversity in the face of adversity, and acceptance of differences are woven into the story line without being heavy handed.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian, futuristic stories with believable science fiction elements.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review:

I am discovering new things about myself while reading. Blue Hearts of Mars is a well-written book by Nicole Grotepas, which is thought awakening, fast paced science fiction for young adults. The more I read science fiction, the more I like it and Nicole Grotepas' novel definitely pushed me to explore more of the genre.

The novel takes us to the future where Mars is inhabited by humans and Androids. Retta is a human girl who meets an Android boy called Hemingway. They fall for each other and have to fight for their relationship, because Androids are not equals with humans. Far from it.

Without revealing the story and giving away any spoilers, both Retta and Hemingway need to face lots of obstacles and not only from people and Androids they know, but also from Retta's family.

What did I like about the story?
I liked the message, that you need to fight for what you are believing in. I truly enjoyed the writing style and the pacing, it was a page turner and the story made me want to know what is going to happen next. The action scenes were captivating and really well-written.
I think the ending of the book was fabulous, because it was not what I expected. I liked the surprise that the author gave to me as a reader.
I did love the characters, even though I have to say, that Retta was both lovable for her beliefs and also annoying sometimes. My favorite character was Hemingway. He was sweet, smart, hot and ... with the blue heart.
I think the title of the book is brilliant!

Dislikes:

There were few references to 21st century which I found awkward when the book was about 150 years to the future. I understood them, but it made me think, that the author did not think it through few times.

Generally:
Blue Hearts of Mars is a great book! The plot is unique, writing awesome and you will find some very lovable characters! I recommend it!

[Kandy Scaramuzzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Because It is Different Doesn’t Mean It Is Wrong

I was provided this book for an honest review. I was a little concerned when I first started reading this book that it would continue on the veins of prejudice. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a really good book with a lot of social commentaries in it. I really like it when the YA books approach and handle difficult social situations.
It is true enough that it is a human/different species romance like Twilight, but let’s admit it, that is what the kids want these days. This book was at least original enough to use androids instead of the usual vampires or werewolves. Anything that gets our younger generations to read without polluting their minds with propaganda is okay with me.
The more I read this book, about the prejudices against the androids; it reminded me of the societal prejudices of today against different races, and religions. I liked the way the reasons for the prejudices were questions by our young heroine. Admittedly, she did go to some serious extremes to find her information, but sometimes circumstances dictate our actions. The inclusion of her little rich friend with the powerful father was a nice touch.
About halfway through the book some information is withheld from the reader. It was driving me crazy to know that information. It was a very effective technique to keep you reading. When the information was finally revealed, it was certainly not what I was expecting. It actually turned out better than anything I could have imagined.
This is a great YA book that doesn’t spend all it’s time on sexual escapades. It is refreshing and the story is original and well written. I would recommend this book to any youngster looking for something to read.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars we need more YA books like this one.

[Megan Thomason · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, but am rounding up.

First of all... awesome cover! Second, love the fact the book was well edited (seems to be a rarity these days, particularly with self-published novels).

I love how the author populated Mars... so descriptive and comprehensive... I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. The author *really* thought through every aspect of the cities, monetary system, transportation, housing, etc. The back-story of how androids and humans came to be on Earth was well thought out. The science behind their technology seemed believable. There was well-placed humor throughout (I always look for humor in books, particularly books with heavy themes... they need a little comic relief!). The parallels between discrimination of androids and things we see in our society are excellent. Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause.

Only slight quibbles (that didn't detract from my enjoyment) were... lots of tell instead of show early on as Retta attended classes and researched information about the androids. I thought the romance might have been a little rushed (I realize they spent time together, getting to know each other that wasn't described or belabored), but it felt a little instant. Also, couple things that were a little hard to believe... that had to do with the main characters ability to keep from being detected later in the book (won't list & spoil it).

Other bonuses: Action scenes were good. Liked how the characters each evolved to be more understanding and tolerant of differences. Good resolution at the end, with room left for sequels, but didn't feel like I was left hanging (not that I mind cliffhangers, but...).

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm happy to be a part of the blog tour for Blue Hearts of Mars. It's always cool to read new books and discover new authors.

First off, I really like the cover of this book. The blue heart thing with the cityscape behind it is cool, I think. I just wanted to say that before I delved into a review. :)

The concept of this book is a bit different than lots of I have read. Androids have been sent to new places, such as Mars, before humans to set up a safe place to live. Androids are viewed by humans as lesser because they are not wholly human. They are treated differently and segregated if you can tell they are androids. All androids have a "tell" or something that gives them away as an android. Sometimes the tell is obvious and sometimes it isn't. Many androids get away with living among humans because they can hide their tell. Of course, there has to be "that girl" who falls for an android. Right? The perfect set up for a forbidden relationship.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It's a bit insta love-ish which I didn't wholly buy into but it wasn't too bad. There were times I would be reading, just getting really into the book and the story and then I would be jarred out by something in the story that threw me off and didn't make complete sense. I didn't always get Retta and Hemingway.

BUT, having said that, I thought the story was a good one. It has that science fiction/futuristic sort of feel to it. A future population living under a dome on Mars? Yeah, that's cool. I liked that the romance was Retta and Hemingway against the world instead of a love triangle.

Content: There was a fade away sex scene.

[Fhey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the cover it makes a reader too curious of what's inside.

Very futuristic but then the Author had a great visual description of the place which is Mars.
I visualized when i read like looking into it on a 3D plane so this one gave the details i needed. Starting with the use of glass technology, which was called Gate and those Links as the Author called it in her story-wired to humans as a way of communication and something like planner or just like a futuristic mobile device. Then there's the idea of androids and humans living together.

"Hemingway was right—androids don’t come with a manual"-Retta
These were Retta's words. I'm so into this, I loved the story and the struggle of our young protagonists were facing.

One reason why readers were being in-to a book and not -is how the authors put details into the characters' actions and emotions and Nicole did not miss that point in this book. The twist, this made the story more interesting. Left you thinking what will happen in the end.

Sorry to be a spoiler but i really loved these lines.
"Make us one, one flesh, one purpose, one heart. Weave our lives into one life, one future, forever and eternally"

The end made me cry a bit as i felt what Retta felt, how she struggled to fight for her love for Hemingway.

I'm grateful that the Author had given me a free copy of this book to read and in return for my honest review. Highly recommended!

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. The story and it's premise were so well done, the world building so thorough that it was very easy to lose myself in this read.
Hemingway does take a bit of getting used to, but don't let that stand in your way. He proves to be quite the "heart stealer" by book's end. He's also quite the "white knight" to Retta's damsel.
As for Retta, aside from the occasional lapses into angsty frivolity and a bit otf insta-love; she more than proved herself a match for the challenges that her love for Hemingway presented.
Though this book is headed into New Adult territory genre-wise, there is a welcome lack of sex here. That is not to say that there are not some "romantic situations", there are, but nothing along the lines of what one would expect in a storyline involving an eighteen year-old girl and an eighteen year-old looking hunky android
If you are looking for a book that is full of action, adventure, angst, and forbidden love. If you are a reader unafraid to explore the question of what makes us truly human.
If you are a lover of well written stories deep enough to swim in.
This is the book for you.
See this review on my blog here: http://www.wtfareyoureading.com/2013/...

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started out a little slow for me. But it quickly picked up the pace as more and more things came to light. I loved the relationship of the Main Characters.

Retta and Hemmingway, the blue heart had such an intense and wonderful way of relating. I loved the moral lesson of this book that everyone is the same. I think this is an important lesson especially in today's day and age of violence and hatred.

Blue Hearts of Mars is a science fiction story and as such does deal with some interesting things in life, such as the Gates and Technology. I enjoyed reading this book, and I am not a normal Sci-Fi lover. I may be a Trekkie but when it comes to my choice of reading material I usually steer clear of Sci-Fi's because they tend to be quite repetitive and boring. This book didn't do that. Once it caught me it kept me until I completely finished the story. Turning pages quicker and quicker until the ending.

I have to say I recommend this book! And as such I give it 4.5 stars. Check it out for yourself. You may be as surprised as I was.

Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.