What do you think?
Rate this book
Earthbound #1
Der Kuss der Göttin
Die 17-jährige Tavia ist ein Wunder: Sie hat als Einzige einen Flugzeugabsturz überlebt. Doch plötzlich hat sie Visionen von einem seltsam altertümlich wirkenden Jungen, der sie vor einer großen Gefahr warnt. Und bald wird sie von mysteriösen Männern verfolgt. Tavia flieht gemeinsam mit Benson, ihr einziger Vertrauter und gleichzeitig ihre große Liebe.
Sie finden heraus, dass Tavia eine Göttin ist: Vor Urzeiten wurde sie dazu verdammt, immer wiedergeboren zu werden, immer auf der Suche nach ihrem Seelenpartner. Ihre Verfolger sind die Reduciata, die einen ewigen Kampf gegen die Götter führen. Ihre einzige Hoffnung ist Quinn, der Junge aus ihrer Vision. Nur mit ihm ist Tavia unverwundbar und kann gegen die Reduciata bestehen. Doch dafür muss Tavia Benson verlassen …
Sie finden heraus, dass Tavia eine Göttin ist: Vor Urzeiten wurde sie dazu verdammt, immer wiedergeboren zu werden, immer auf der Suche nach ihrem Seelenpartner. Ihre Verfolger sind die Reduciata, die einen ewigen Kampf gegen die Götter führen. Ihre einzige Hoffnung ist Quinn, der Junge aus ihrer Vision. Nur mit ihm ist Tavia unverwundbar und kann gegen die Reduciata bestehen. Doch dafür muss Tavia Benson verlassen …
416 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2013
153 people are currently reading
10662 people want to read
About the author
Aprilynne Pike
58 books5,045 followersAprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 652 reviews
August 8, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
1.5 stars
Thank you HarperCollins Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
'I relaxed, stopped struggling, and watched out the window as the ground rushed to swallow me.'
Books like these make me seem like I have mental issues. The cliché, predictable and cheesy type. They make me my head sore from banging it on the wall so much. They make me talk to the book in great rage. Earthbound was pure fury and despair for me, nothing really worked out at all.
It's been a while that I have found the idea of a novel unsurprisingly unoriginal. That has come to a stop as the premise of Earthbound just could not click with me. We have Tavia, an extremely sensitive and stereotypical girl, the sole survivor of a plane crash. She has a huge crush on her best friend and is absolutely obsessed with Chapstick. It's like her drug. Then one day she discovers that strange things are happening to her, soon, she discovers the truth behind the plane crash and what's with the new mysterious guy. Sounds familiar? Earthbound's plot and foundation idea is wholly monotonous and calculable. Tavia's narrative point clearly was not a helpful factor. Rarely, at times she came out as thoughtful, yet it was overpowering and exhausting to read her fretting thoughts.
The romance was a weak point in Aprilynne Pike's latest novel. Angsty, undeveloped, instant, trite and cheesy would all be some very accurate descriptions of Earthbound. Not to mention that there's a love triangle. Run away! Benson, is the cute, outgoing and jocular guy. Tavia's best friend and secret crush. He's always there for Tavia, and she just can't resist him. But honestly, why can't they just stay as friends? Is there some rule that declares that all guy friends have to be crushes in disguise? YA genre, you leave me in great distress.
Now, on the other darker side of the love triangle is Quinn. Utterly mysterious and cryptic, but apparently swoony on the inside. He seems the know what's going on with Tavia but doesn't let information out easily. I never really found Tavia and Quinn a likeable couple; the two seemed artificial and it was awfully inconsistent. Moreover, she declared she loved Quinn about only 100 pages in, how do you fall in love with a stranger?
Despite the lovely writing skills showing up in Aprilynne Pike's work again, I was saddened by the plot, world building romance and characters of this novel. Not only did everything scream cliché and predictable, but also a handful of scenarios were too dramatic and convenient for my tastes. Unfortunately, I cannot recommended this.
1.5 stars
Thank you HarperCollins Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
'I relaxed, stopped struggling, and watched out the window as the ground rushed to swallow me.'
Books like these make me seem like I have mental issues. The cliché, predictable and cheesy type. They make me my head sore from banging it on the wall so much. They make me talk to the book in great rage. Earthbound was pure fury and despair for me, nothing really worked out at all.
It's been a while that I have found the idea of a novel unsurprisingly unoriginal. That has come to a stop as the premise of Earthbound just could not click with me. We have Tavia, an extremely sensitive and stereotypical girl, the sole survivor of a plane crash. She has a huge crush on her best friend and is absolutely obsessed with Chapstick. It's like her drug. Then one day she discovers that strange things are happening to her, soon, she discovers the truth behind the plane crash and what's with the new mysterious guy. Sounds familiar? Earthbound's plot and foundation idea is wholly monotonous and calculable. Tavia's narrative point clearly was not a helpful factor. Rarely, at times she came out as thoughtful, yet it was overpowering and exhausting to read her fretting thoughts.
The romance was a weak point in Aprilynne Pike's latest novel. Angsty, undeveloped, instant, trite and cheesy would all be some very accurate descriptions of Earthbound. Not to mention that there's a love triangle. Run away! Benson, is the cute, outgoing and jocular guy. Tavia's best friend and secret crush. He's always there for Tavia, and she just can't resist him. But honestly, why can't they just stay as friends? Is there some rule that declares that all guy friends have to be crushes in disguise? YA genre, you leave me in great distress.
Now, on the other darker side of the love triangle is Quinn. Utterly mysterious and cryptic, but apparently swoony on the inside. He seems the know what's going on with Tavia but doesn't let information out easily. I never really found Tavia and Quinn a likeable couple; the two seemed artificial and it was awfully inconsistent. Moreover, she declared she loved Quinn about only 100 pages in, how do you fall in love with a stranger?
Despite the lovely writing skills showing up in Aprilynne Pike's work again, I was saddened by the plot, world building romance and characters of this novel. Not only did everything scream cliché and predictable, but also a handful of scenarios were too dramatic and convenient for my tastes. Unfortunately, I cannot recommended this.
January 5, 2014
*Won in a Goodreads first reads giveaway!*
Ok so when I first read the description I was like oh cool a new twist on the supernatural elemental thing but then it mentions a love triangle and I was just like oh please lord no... After I started reading it I was like OH GOD THIS BOOK IS AWESOME! But then I developed reader's block and had trouble settling down to continue reading it. Eventually I worked my way into the middle of the book and thought eh it's a good book but not that great anymore. Well as I continued to read I realized that I was holding my breath between turning the pages and the plot twists and betrayals of the characters. I just finished reading the book at 1 in the morning and all I can say is that this book is a book to watch out for. It has become my all consuming everything. It's so amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if this became the next Harry Potter (didn't want to use Twilight because, well it sucked) type of book as far as how huge it becomes. Pike definitely worked some magic into this book and it is such a new and fresh story line than what has become the normal. Earthbound is equal parts a supernatural thriller as it is a timeless (literally) romance story with just a dash of dystopian mixed in with it.
My only complaints about this book are the cover art and, because I had a proof copy, the mistakes in the book (I found about 15-20ish). My complaint about the cover art is more towards the depiction of Benson (in the bubble on the left). I feel like you should move him somewhere else because he rest right on Tavia's eyebrow and it makes it look like he has a beard and it really throws off the image of what Benson should look like. Other than that the cover art is amazing and I loved it. The back could use a little bit of sprucing up too. It's pretty cool looking but it's just kind of bland. Just those minor tweaks and corrections to the spelling and grammatical errors and this book can easily be the next big thing.
I want the next book THERE HAS TO BE A NEXT BOOK NOW!
Ok so when I first read the description I was like oh cool a new twist on the supernatural elemental thing but then it mentions a love triangle and I was just like oh please lord no... After I started reading it I was like OH GOD THIS BOOK IS AWESOME! But then I developed reader's block and had trouble settling down to continue reading it. Eventually I worked my way into the middle of the book and thought eh it's a good book but not that great anymore. Well as I continued to read I realized that I was holding my breath between turning the pages and the plot twists and betrayals of the characters. I just finished reading the book at 1 in the morning and all I can say is that this book is a book to watch out for. It has become my all consuming everything. It's so amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if this became the next Harry Potter (didn't want to use Twilight because, well it sucked) type of book as far as how huge it becomes. Pike definitely worked some magic into this book and it is such a new and fresh story line than what has become the normal. Earthbound is equal parts a supernatural thriller as it is a timeless (literally) romance story with just a dash of dystopian mixed in with it.
My only complaints about this book are the cover art and, because I had a proof copy, the mistakes in the book (I found about 15-20ish). My complaint about the cover art is more towards the depiction of Benson (in the bubble on the left). I feel like you should move him somewhere else because he rest right on Tavia's eyebrow and it makes it look like he has a beard and it really throws off the image of what Benson should look like. Other than that the cover art is amazing and I loved it. The back could use a little bit of sprucing up too. It's pretty cool looking but it's just kind of bland. Just those minor tweaks and corrections to the spelling and grammatical errors and this book can easily be the next big thing.
I want the next book THERE HAS TO BE A NEXT BOOK NOW!
August 17, 2013
Earthbound began so promisingly - traumatized young girl who's lost her parents, has a nice best-friend whom she's slightly crushing on, and has amicable relationships with the step-aunt and uncle who have taken her in. She sees a mysterious blonde boy on the street, and immediately feels a connection to him. She then sees him at 2 am on her lawn, and freaks out. Tells her therapist and best friend. Worries about her safety.
All great points, right? Pike's writing, up to this point, is lyrical and engaging and I was really loving where the story was going.
Cut to the next morning, where our protagonist, Tavia, has decided that the mystery-man is nice. Trustworthy. That he's not going to hurt her. That "he’s a cappuccino secret – something sweet and frothy that warms me from the middle out." Excuse me, what? Despite repeated warnings and weirdness, Tavia decides she's going to go meet him, in a town that takes hours of driving to get to. And off we go, with the best friend Benson in tow.
What follows is too complex, and simultaneously too boring, for me to remember clearly. Luckily I kept good notes on Goodreads! There are red herrings everywhere, the main characters are never on the right track, and there are so many coincidences and random events that I could not keep up. Certain events stuck out at me, and had me laughing out loud or groaning in despair, but I don't think the author was going for those reactions.
It's immensely difficult to like a book if you dislike the protagonist, especially in a book told in first-person. And I disliked Tavia vehemently, once she stopped being an independent, intelligent young woman, and became focussed on following her stalker. I just don't understand why anyone, man or woman, would react the way she did. So I was laughing when bad things happened to her, and rolling my eyes at her pathetic attempts at figuring out what's going on.
My antipathy towards Tavia could have been redeemed if I had felt any connection to either love interest, but the romance is stilted and non-sensical throughout the novel. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities about Tavia's mystery stalker, and her best friend Benson is bland. Tavia can't figure out which one of them she wants, and is constantly thinking about one and making out with the other. On the topic of Benson - I also feel that the romance between Tavia and Benson is really weird: they basically act un-attracted to one another except for a handful of random but intense make out sessions. It's really confusing. There is a fix that the author introduces, some 86% of the way through the book, but I had basically given up on Earthbound by then.
My final gripe (and I know there are many) is the plot itself. Or, to be clearer, the lack thereof. Beginning as science-fiction lite, perhaps with a bit of reincarnation/parallel universes thrown in, Earthbound quickly snowballs to incorporate elements of historical thrillers, paranormal romance and finally, Egyptian mythologies. It feels like the author didn't know where the book was going, and just kept adding over-used tropes until a page limit was achieved.
The thing that almost made me throw the book across the room was this:
I found that the story did pick up in the end - once Tavia stopped thinking about her mystery-stalker and Benson, I started enjoying the book again. So perhaps a lot of my discontent with the novel has to do with the love triangle - I found it unnecessary and bland.
I didn't like this story and I wish I had spent my free time engaged more pleasantly. But it's a little like a train wreck, I couldn't look away, couldn't stop reading, and it was so bad, it was almost riveting. If you like your love triangles with a background of themes of mythology and reincarnation, you may enjoy Earthbound. But I'm not sure I'll ever be brave enough to pick up a Pike book again, and thank my stars that I read Life After Theft (which I enjoyed immensely) beforehand.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
All great points, right? Pike's writing, up to this point, is lyrical and engaging and I was really loving where the story was going.
Cut to the next morning, where our protagonist, Tavia, has decided that the mystery-man is nice. Trustworthy. That he's not going to hurt her. That "he’s a cappuccino secret – something sweet and frothy that warms me from the middle out." Excuse me, what? Despite repeated warnings and weirdness, Tavia decides she's going to go meet him, in a town that takes hours of driving to get to. And off we go, with the best friend Benson in tow.
What follows is too complex, and simultaneously too boring, for me to remember clearly. Luckily I kept good notes on Goodreads! There are red herrings everywhere, the main characters are never on the right track, and there are so many coincidences and random events that I could not keep up. Certain events stuck out at me, and had me laughing out loud or groaning in despair, but I don't think the author was going for those reactions.
It's immensely difficult to like a book if you dislike the protagonist, especially in a book told in first-person. And I disliked Tavia vehemently, once she stopped being an independent, intelligent young woman, and became focussed on following her stalker. I just don't understand why anyone, man or woman, would react the way she did. So I was laughing when bad things happened to her, and rolling my eyes at her pathetic attempts at figuring out what's going on.
My antipathy towards Tavia could have been redeemed if I had felt any connection to either love interest, but the romance is stilted and non-sensical throughout the novel. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities about Tavia's mystery stalker, and her best friend Benson is bland. Tavia can't figure out which one of them she wants, and is constantly thinking about one and making out with the other. On the topic of Benson - I also feel that the romance between Tavia and Benson is really weird: they basically act un-attracted to one another except for a handful of random but intense make out sessions. It's really confusing. There is a fix that the author introduces, some 86% of the way through the book, but I had basically given up on Earthbound by then.
My final gripe (and I know there are many) is the plot itself. Or, to be clearer, the lack thereof. Beginning as science-fiction lite, perhaps with a bit of reincarnation/parallel universes thrown in, Earthbound quickly snowballs to incorporate elements of historical thrillers, paranormal romance and finally, Egyptian mythologies. It feels like the author didn't know where the book was going, and just kept adding over-used tropes until a page limit was achieved.
The thing that almost made me throw the book across the room was this:
I found that the story did pick up in the end - once Tavia stopped thinking about her mystery-stalker and Benson, I started enjoying the book again. So perhaps a lot of my discontent with the novel has to do with the love triangle - I found it unnecessary and bland.
I didn't like this story and I wish I had spent my free time engaged more pleasantly. But it's a little like a train wreck, I couldn't look away, couldn't stop reading, and it was so bad, it was almost riveting. If you like your love triangles with a background of themes of mythology and reincarnation, you may enjoy Earthbound. But I'm not sure I'll ever be brave enough to pick up a Pike book again, and thank my stars that I read Life After Theft (which I enjoyed immensely) beforehand.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
January 12, 2015
Thankfully I didn't read the book's description prior to starting to read this book. I hate spoilers and that description has to be one of the worst as far as providing spoilers. It's basically a summary of what happens in the book. So if you haven't read it yet and like me hate spoilers don't read it.
Other than being totally disappointed with how much unnecessary language Aprilynne added to this book I really enjoyed the story line. I think I just loved Benson mostly.
Earthbound held my interest and moved along quickly right until the cliff-hanger ending. Glad I didn't read this when it first came out.
Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book
Content: Language throughout
Source: Audible.com Download
Other than being totally disappointed with how much unnecessary language Aprilynne added to this book I really enjoyed the story line. I think I just loved Benson mostly.
Earthbound held my interest and moved along quickly right until the cliff-hanger ending. Glad I didn't read this when it first came out.
Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book
Content: Language throughout
Source: Audible.com Download
May 16, 2016
Unfortunately, it had the same kind of tone of Teardrop and Waterfall by Lauren Kate, which I really didn't like. I really struggle with the lovers reborn concept because it seems to be used as an excuse for insta-love.
September 18, 2013
Review from Ja čitam, a ti?
Did you read Wings series by Aprilynne Pike? You did? Than you know exactly what to expect. This author is well known for creating beautiful, magical world that will make you feel like a kid who is discovering worlds of faery tales all over again.
Unlike her heroine from Wings series, Tavia is a little bit older - eighteen. I'm guessing that author tried to "escape" image that follows her writing - it seems that general impression among readers is that her books are more appropriate for younger readers. Partly, she managed to to that, but there is still this "feeling of innocence", for the lack of better words. That is not bad thing, quite opposed, it's one of the reasons why I love Aprilynne Pike novels.
Best way to describe Earthbound would be Ghost Whisperer meets Wings meets Fringe. Best from all three in one package. I have to admit that somewhere around middle of novel I had my doubts about plot and characters, but I'll give you one advice. Keep reading and everything will come to its place.
So, why did I give it 4 stars? Love story. I liked chemistry between Tavia and Benson - especially that scene in the library, but I still felt like something was missing. And that ending? I thought this supposed to be standalone novel. And now I have to wait to see what will happen next. And I so don't like Logan. Aprilynne, you better make thing right.:)
Should you read this book? If you like true young adult paranormal romance, as soon as you can!
***Note! Copy of this book was provided in exchange for honest review by publisher, Harper Collins Children's Books, via NetGalley. We review books for free, as lovers of written word.***
Ghost Whisper meets Wings meets Fringe
Did you read Wings series by Aprilynne Pike? You did? Than you know exactly what to expect. This author is well known for creating beautiful, magical world that will make you feel like a kid who is discovering worlds of faery tales all over again.
Unlike her heroine from Wings series, Tavia is a little bit older - eighteen. I'm guessing that author tried to "escape" image that follows her writing - it seems that general impression among readers is that her books are more appropriate for younger readers. Partly, she managed to to that, but there is still this "feeling of innocence", for the lack of better words. That is not bad thing, quite opposed, it's one of the reasons why I love Aprilynne Pike novels.
Best way to describe Earthbound would be Ghost Whisperer meets Wings meets Fringe. Best from all three in one package. I have to admit that somewhere around middle of novel I had my doubts about plot and characters, but I'll give you one advice. Keep reading and everything will come to its place.
So, why did I give it 4 stars? Love story. I liked chemistry between Tavia and Benson - especially that scene in the library, but I still felt like something was missing. And that ending? I thought this supposed to be standalone novel. And now I have to wait to see what will happen next. And I so don't like Logan. Aprilynne, you better make thing right.:)
Should you read this book? If you like true young adult paranormal romance, as soon as you can!
***Note! Copy of this book was provided in exchange for honest review by publisher, Harper Collins Children's Books, via NetGalley. We review books for free, as lovers of written word.***
April 21, 2013
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Wow this is the first book that I read by Aprilynne Pike, and all I have to say is Wow, I really liked this book! It was a surprise, I thought it was just going to be another love triangle, but oh my God it's so much more. Its really a book that as you read you keep uncovering new secrets and surprises you didn't expect! I just loved how from the beginning the story just pulls you in. Probably one of my favorite beginnings. I just loved the whole plot of the story. Travia's story is full of grief but also full of secrets. The secrets she will find out can either save her or destroy her. I loved the twists! OMG! There were some awesome twists that I didn't see coming! I can't really give away much, you'll have to read it to find out about how good the plot is.
I also enjoyed the characters! Travia is amazing narrative, she deals with all that's happening in a way that I can connect to. She is strong but at the same time she is also weak. I liked her character a lot, well honestly I liked all of the characters.
In a book, there were only a couple things that I might of not liked. I was really annoyed with some of the scenes, and all of the waiting to find out who the mystery "person is" lol! But that's just my problem...Haha
Overall I really liked this book, and I will definitely recommend it. Now waiting for the second one to come out...
Wow this is the first book that I read by Aprilynne Pike, and all I have to say is Wow, I really liked this book! It was a surprise, I thought it was just going to be another love triangle, but oh my God it's so much more. Its really a book that as you read you keep uncovering new secrets and surprises you didn't expect! I just loved how from the beginning the story just pulls you in. Probably one of my favorite beginnings. I just loved the whole plot of the story. Travia's story is full of grief but also full of secrets. The secrets she will find out can either save her or destroy her. I loved the twists! OMG! There were some awesome twists that I didn't see coming! I can't really give away much, you'll have to read it to find out about how good the plot is.
I also enjoyed the characters! Travia is amazing narrative, she deals with all that's happening in a way that I can connect to. She is strong but at the same time she is also weak. I liked her character a lot, well honestly I liked all of the characters.
In a book, there were only a couple things that I might of not liked. I was really annoyed with some of the scenes, and all of the waiting to find out who the mystery "person is" lol! But that's just my problem...Haha
Overall I really liked this book, and I will definitely recommend it. Now waiting for the second one to come out...
May 3, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: This was a really fun read full of action, cute romance, betrayal, and suspense. I am a big fan of Aprilynne Pike’s work and this was a great start to her new series.
Opening Sentence: I remember the plane going down.
The Review:
Tavia Michaels is the only survivor from a plane crash that killed both of her parents. It has been two years now, and after multiple surgeries and lots of therapy, life seems to finally start feeling normal again. Tavia lives with her step aunt and uncle that she hardly knew before her parent’s death. She has come to care about them, but it’s hard for her to let people close to her. She has one really close friend that she shares everything with. His name is Benson and he is a college student that works at the local library. She felt an instant connection with Benson and has been secretly crushing on him for months now.
Then one day everything changes. Tavia sees a boy that looks like he could have stepped right out of a history book. He has long blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and he’s wearing breeches, a long fitted coat and a top hat. He also happens to be the most beautiful boy Tavia has ever seen. Then he starts to pop up all the time in random places but no one else ever seems to see him. Tavia starts to wonder if she is going crazy. She starts to notice that she is being followed, and she starts to develop weird powers. As things start to unravel she doesn’t know who she can trust or what she is, but the boy she keeps seeing might have some answers for her. Hopefully, Tavia will live long enough to find out what is going on and what she is.
Tavia is an interesting girl. She is so broken by what happened to her parents that she has a hard time opening up to people. She cares about her aunt and uncle, but she feels like she is burden to them. As she starts to realize that nothing in her life is as it seemed, she really has no idea who she can trust. She is a really caring person, but she trusts people too easily. There were times when her voice irritated me a little bit, but overall I did really like her as a character. I was able to feel her emotions and by the end of the book I really connected with her.
Quinn is our mystery boy that Tavia keeps seeing. He is totally swoon worthy with long blonde hair, green eyes, and totally gorgeous. He always seems to pop up when Tavia is in trouble, and then he disappears. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m not going to go into a lot of depth about Quinn, but he is a very intriguing character that I am excited to get to know better. He isn’t in the book a ton, but there is a love triangle so I know that he will be a bigger factor in the future books.
Benson is the boy that Tavia has befriended and she has really relied on him ever since the crash. He is the only person that she feels comfortable totally confiding all of her secrets in, and she has also totally fallen for him. She hasn’t said anything to him about it because she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship and she knows that she has a lot of emotional baggage so she feels that he deserves better. Benson is a total book nerd. He wears sweater vests, glasses and is really smart. He seems to really care about Tavia and he is a good friend to her. I actually really fell for Benson and I am totally Team Benson at least for now.
This was a really fun read for me. There is tons of action and suspense. The plot is very intriguing — full of twists and surprises. I really loved the romance, it is sweet and totally gave me butterflies. I really liked the characters and I cared enough about them that days later I was still thinking about their story. The book flowed perfectly and I had a really hard time putting it down. I have been a fan of Aprilynne Pike for a while now and this is a great addition to her already wonderful books. There is a slight cliff hanger at the end so of course I am dying to read the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys YA Paranormal action books.
Notable Scene:
I look up, our faces only a few inches apart, and my chest freezes.
My hand lowers slowly, his lips soft against my fingertips, until only one finger rests on his bottom lip. A distant part of me hears Benson’s breath, unsteady as it speeds up, his eyes burning into mine.
I’m not sure who reaches out first or how it happens amid everything going on, but in an instant my fingers are grasping at his hair, pulling his face down to me, his hand behind my neck, pulling me up, tilting my mouth to his. His lips are desperate on mine, seeking, demanding, taking.
But how can they take what I’m savagely giving?
His whole body trembles as he steps forward, pressing against me, trapping me between the bookshelf and the warmth of him. The corners of books dig into my back as our bodies meet, push, wrap. I grasp at the soft fabric of Benson’s sweater-vest, and my fingers dig into his ribs just beneath. His hands are still behind my neck, my head—fingers weaving through my hair as he brings my mouth harder against his—but the length of his body rocked snugly against mine feels like its own kind of embrace.
I rip my mouth away to gulp for air but return immediately to his lips, needing more of him. Tiny groans vibrate in his throat and they make me want to hold him tighter, kiss him deeper. I don’t know how long it lasts—forever and yet not nearly long enough—before Benson throws his head back and lets out a long sigh. His hands frame my face and he lets his forehead rest against mine as we both struggle for air. His breath is hot on my lips and when I breathe, it smells like him.
And something in me knows that everything is different now.
Better? I hope so.
“Is this the part where I’m supposed to apologize?” Benson asks, and his voice is so low, so weak, it makes me want to cry all over again.
“Are you sorry?” I whisper. And I don’t know what I want to hear.
“Never,” he says, his whisper barely audible.
A strange joy fills me and this time it’s not overwhelming. It’s calm. Peaceful almost. “Then don’t apologize.”
FTC Advisory: Razorbill / Penguin provided me with a copy of Earthbound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This was a really fun read full of action, cute romance, betrayal, and suspense. I am a big fan of Aprilynne Pike’s work and this was a great start to her new series.
Opening Sentence: I remember the plane going down.
The Review:
Tavia Michaels is the only survivor from a plane crash that killed both of her parents. It has been two years now, and after multiple surgeries and lots of therapy, life seems to finally start feeling normal again. Tavia lives with her step aunt and uncle that she hardly knew before her parent’s death. She has come to care about them, but it’s hard for her to let people close to her. She has one really close friend that she shares everything with. His name is Benson and he is a college student that works at the local library. She felt an instant connection with Benson and has been secretly crushing on him for months now.
Then one day everything changes. Tavia sees a boy that looks like he could have stepped right out of a history book. He has long blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and he’s wearing breeches, a long fitted coat and a top hat. He also happens to be the most beautiful boy Tavia has ever seen. Then he starts to pop up all the time in random places but no one else ever seems to see him. Tavia starts to wonder if she is going crazy. She starts to notice that she is being followed, and she starts to develop weird powers. As things start to unravel she doesn’t know who she can trust or what she is, but the boy she keeps seeing might have some answers for her. Hopefully, Tavia will live long enough to find out what is going on and what she is.
Tavia is an interesting girl. She is so broken by what happened to her parents that she has a hard time opening up to people. She cares about her aunt and uncle, but she feels like she is burden to them. As she starts to realize that nothing in her life is as it seemed, she really has no idea who she can trust. She is a really caring person, but she trusts people too easily. There were times when her voice irritated me a little bit, but overall I did really like her as a character. I was able to feel her emotions and by the end of the book I really connected with her.
Quinn is our mystery boy that Tavia keeps seeing. He is totally swoon worthy with long blonde hair, green eyes, and totally gorgeous. He always seems to pop up when Tavia is in trouble, and then he disappears. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m not going to go into a lot of depth about Quinn, but he is a very intriguing character that I am excited to get to know better. He isn’t in the book a ton, but there is a love triangle so I know that he will be a bigger factor in the future books.
Benson is the boy that Tavia has befriended and she has really relied on him ever since the crash. He is the only person that she feels comfortable totally confiding all of her secrets in, and she has also totally fallen for him. She hasn’t said anything to him about it because she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship and she knows that she has a lot of emotional baggage so she feels that he deserves better. Benson is a total book nerd. He wears sweater vests, glasses and is really smart. He seems to really care about Tavia and he is a good friend to her. I actually really fell for Benson and I am totally Team Benson at least for now.
This was a really fun read for me. There is tons of action and suspense. The plot is very intriguing — full of twists and surprises. I really loved the romance, it is sweet and totally gave me butterflies. I really liked the characters and I cared enough about them that days later I was still thinking about their story. The book flowed perfectly and I had a really hard time putting it down. I have been a fan of Aprilynne Pike for a while now and this is a great addition to her already wonderful books. There is a slight cliff hanger at the end so of course I am dying to read the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys YA Paranormal action books.
Notable Scene:
I look up, our faces only a few inches apart, and my chest freezes.
My hand lowers slowly, his lips soft against my fingertips, until only one finger rests on his bottom lip. A distant part of me hears Benson’s breath, unsteady as it speeds up, his eyes burning into mine.
I’m not sure who reaches out first or how it happens amid everything going on, but in an instant my fingers are grasping at his hair, pulling his face down to me, his hand behind my neck, pulling me up, tilting my mouth to his. His lips are desperate on mine, seeking, demanding, taking.
But how can they take what I’m savagely giving?
His whole body trembles as he steps forward, pressing against me, trapping me between the bookshelf and the warmth of him. The corners of books dig into my back as our bodies meet, push, wrap. I grasp at the soft fabric of Benson’s sweater-vest, and my fingers dig into his ribs just beneath. His hands are still behind my neck, my head—fingers weaving through my hair as he brings my mouth harder against his—but the length of his body rocked snugly against mine feels like its own kind of embrace.
I rip my mouth away to gulp for air but return immediately to his lips, needing more of him. Tiny groans vibrate in his throat and they make me want to hold him tighter, kiss him deeper. I don’t know how long it lasts—forever and yet not nearly long enough—before Benson throws his head back and lets out a long sigh. His hands frame my face and he lets his forehead rest against mine as we both struggle for air. His breath is hot on my lips and when I breathe, it smells like him.
And something in me knows that everything is different now.
Better? I hope so.
“Is this the part where I’m supposed to apologize?” Benson asks, and his voice is so low, so weak, it makes me want to cry all over again.
“Are you sorry?” I whisper. And I don’t know what I want to hear.
“Never,” he says, his whisper barely audible.
A strange joy fills me and this time it’s not overwhelming. It’s calm. Peaceful almost. “Then don’t apologize.”
FTC Advisory: Razorbill / Penguin provided me with a copy of Earthbound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
July 28, 2013
This is the first book I have read from Aprilynne Pike, but not my first YA paranormal reading experience. While I did enjoy this book overall, parts of the storyline dragged somewhat - most notably the beginning, when Tavia's still in the dark about her abilities. I also had a 'nagging' feeling about most of the plot twists, which spoiled their impact somewhat (I totally knew what that tattoo was about...)
Tavia was a great main character, I liked her almost immediately - she's brave, clever, loyal, but not always great at seeing the big picture. (Apparently her sub-conscious has great survival instincts, but I'm not sure she does...) I did shake my head at her a few times. It was interesting to have Tavia narrate because not only is she suffering the after effects of a traumatic brain injury, she's also 'seeing things' in dreams and in her everyday life, so you're not sure what's real and what's not.
As to the romance, I wasn't keen on Tavia's instant feelings for the mysterious Quinn although they made sense once you got the backstory, and the Benson half of the 'triangle' was just okay... He goes from a best friend who calls her things like cupcake to hot stuff in a flash. The chemistry seemed a bit forced. Beyond that this was quite an emotional book and it hooked me from the start.
This was basically a 'setting the scene' novel that focuses on major revelations, which means I think the sequel will be the true test of whether or not this series is for me - an avid romance reader, who reads for the romance not the storyline! As far as originality, it reminded me at times of Kirsten Miller's The Eternal Ones (which I loved, not sure why I haven't read the follow up books yet), but it really is it's own book - so points for that. They mythology aspects were really exciting and I'm looking forward to seeing these aspects further developed in future novels.
http://bookblather.wordpress.com/2013...
Tavia was a great main character, I liked her almost immediately - she's brave, clever, loyal, but not always great at seeing the big picture. (Apparently her sub-conscious has great survival instincts, but I'm not sure she does...) I did shake my head at her a few times. It was interesting to have Tavia narrate because not only is she suffering the after effects of a traumatic brain injury, she's also 'seeing things' in dreams and in her everyday life, so you're not sure what's real and what's not.
As to the romance, I wasn't keen on Tavia's instant feelings for the mysterious Quinn although they made sense once you got the backstory, and the Benson half of the 'triangle' was just okay... He goes from a best friend who calls her things like cupcake to hot stuff in a flash. The chemistry seemed a bit forced. Beyond that this was quite an emotional book and it hooked me from the start.
This was basically a 'setting the scene' novel that focuses on major revelations, which means I think the sequel will be the true test of whether or not this series is for me - an avid romance reader, who reads for the romance not the storyline! As far as originality, it reminded me at times of Kirsten Miller's The Eternal Ones (which I loved, not sure why I haven't read the follow up books yet), but it really is it's own book - so points for that. They mythology aspects were really exciting and I'm looking forward to seeing these aspects further developed in future novels.
http://bookblather.wordpress.com/2013...
March 13, 2018
Wow. Earthbound is breathtaking. The kind of novel that makes you feel like your entire world has shattered into glass, and you have been reborn.
Tavia is a normal girl, pursing the thing that she loves, until she is the only survivor in a horrific plane crash, and her life falls apart.
Now living with her aunt and uncle, Tavia is feeling anything but normal. She is seeing things that no one else can - including a mysterious boy that she is extremely drawn to - and finds that she can create objects out of thin air.
Soon, Tavia is drawn deeper into the story of her past, what really caused the crash, and who she really is - and the answer is anything but normal.
Beautifully written, with excellent pacing, Earthbound will have you reading nonstop until you turn that final page.
The idea is refreshingly original, and incredibly written. I don't know what I was first expecting when I received the novel, but it definitely did not live up to the real thing.
Unlike most novels with the love V, I found myself liking both of the guys involved. The characters are all well-developed, relatable, and qualify for some serious reader-to-fictional-character instalove.
A wild ride through the brilliant ending (with a twist that I did not see coming, although I will not say more) Earthbound will have you spellbound and begging for more.
I would start counting down the days to July 30th, because this is one you don't want to miss.
Tavia is a normal girl, pursing the thing that she loves, until she is the only survivor in a horrific plane crash, and her life falls apart.
Now living with her aunt and uncle, Tavia is feeling anything but normal. She is seeing things that no one else can - including a mysterious boy that she is extremely drawn to - and finds that she can create objects out of thin air.
Soon, Tavia is drawn deeper into the story of her past, what really caused the crash, and who she really is - and the answer is anything but normal.
Beautifully written, with excellent pacing, Earthbound will have you reading nonstop until you turn that final page.
The idea is refreshingly original, and incredibly written. I don't know what I was first expecting when I received the novel, but it definitely did not live up to the real thing.
Unlike most novels with the love V, I found myself liking both of the guys involved. The characters are all well-developed, relatable, and qualify for some serious reader-to-fictional-character instalove.
A wild ride through the brilliant ending (with a twist that I did not see coming, although I will not say more) Earthbound will have you spellbound and begging for more.
I would start counting down the days to July 30th, because this is one you don't want to miss.
August 6, 2014
Ok. All I know about this book is a one sentence summary and I'm already in love with it. :)
July 26, 2016
I don't know I'm so confused by what I just read... What DID I just read?! Review to come.
--- [07.08.13] Updated with review.
Firstly, thanks to HarperCollins Australia for this review copy <3
“Who can fight fate, really?”
Earthbound held a very promising concept to me and I had this preconceived idea of what it would be like – something of a cross between Hodkin’s Mara Dyer and Brennan’s Unspoken. What I got instead was almost a mix of Twilight and Fallen. Everything felt so forced and coincidental, it was all a bit too much and by the end I was just sceptical of the previous 350 pages. I’m sort of at a loss as to what to say about my experience with Earthbound. There were times when I liked It, but the majority was me thinking “Wait, slow down, WHY is this happening?!”I got frustrated a lot.
The story commences months after the accident that killed our MC’s parents and the whole plane, save for our protagonist, Tavia, who’s the lone survivor. She’s on the road to recovery and attending therapy when she starts seeing this boy – well actually it’s one occurrence when she’s in the car and then he appears in her backyard at 2am the next morning and when he disappears? Well she misses him. This was the yellow light to me that something was slightly off, but I kept reading because in Tavia’s defence, she does freak out. This was chapter three. Everything went downhill in chapter four. He feels special to her. Makes her feel all warm and frothy inside. Based on one chance encounter and one where he appears at her BEDROOM window and BECKONS her outside. And then he disappears. So they haven’t spoken a word and even though Tavia’s mind is saying maybe he’s a stalker, it’s acceptable because he’s her age and she feels he won’t hurt her. Oh my fucking goodness everything is just wrong with that. On every bloody level. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiling anything, this is only page 31. Her reactions are supposedly off because she suffered brain damage. Tavia thinks her initial reaction to vision-boy is because of her brain… I’m not sure if Pike is trying to play off that insta-love/obsession thing as something to do with Tavia’s brain or not. But either way, Tavia decides her feelings are true. Or something. And she seems to react to this perfectly FINE. She wants to get to know him. NEEDS to. At this point I’m just going “Nuh qurrrlllll, just no, no matter how yummy he looks”. Her priorities are all over the place. When revelations are made about certain events and situations I just felt her initial thoughts and reactions were wrong – she’d think about less important things when something else was screaming at her in the face and she’d only see this later. I also hated how EASY everything came to her. Such a freaking coincidence really.
“I don’t even know his name, but he feels special somehow. My secret. Not the kind of secret that makes you feel guilty and empty inside; he’s a cappuccino secret – something sweet and frothy that warms me from the middle out.”
Usually this paragraph is reserved for my commenting on the male MC – cue my gushing and lip biting over how gorgeous he is and how much I love him. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t, except to say that I actually don’t know what to say about vision-boy. He just pops in and out and there’s a hug here, a kiss there, and I just got sort of bored even though there’s all this enigma surrounding him. And best friend Benson? By god this guy was ANNOYING as hell. In my eyes he tried too hard, was too perfect and understanding and to me that just screams that something is wrong. Everything between Benson and Tavia felt so forced. The crush, the chemistry(?), everything. I. Did. Not. Feel. A. Thing. Horrible, forced, unrelatable love triangle. And this is coming from someone who saw the devotion Jacob Black and Edward Cullen had to Bella Swan, wrong as it was. Ick.
All the secondary characters were so full of crap ugh. Elizabeth her therapist, Jay and Reese her step-uncle and step-aunt. All the same bland characters. Accepting and kind, encouraging, all unbelievably giving her the space she needs and supporting her. I had raised eyebrows every time I read them. And just the way everybody seemed to be ok with everything that was going on with Tavia. I mean, hello WARNING bells when your therapist says it’s completely normal to be seeing things and encourages it, not asking WHY Tavia thinks she sees the things she sees. It wasn’t the kind of inquisitive psychology where the other party sees how the person thinks, there was no attempt at understanding.
“You’ve made so much progress lately that I’ve actually been expecting you to start experiencing some… some changes.”
“And Tavia, you might have more strange things happen. Unexplainable things. And that’s okay.”
The actual plot? It was all over the place! Pike was trying to do everything at once, packing too many ideas into one story. It got so convoluted I kept questioning “why here”, “why him”, “why her”. I got so confused I didn’t know if there were plot holes or not. It was all a jumble of science-fiction, paranormal, history, mythology and Pike tried to tie everything so it seemed connected but I just got this information dump. By the end I got the feeling Pike was trying for a conspiracy theory type feel with roots from deep within mythology and I was meant to be blown away by all this. But I just wasn’t.
“It’s the reason you see things the rest of us can’t.”
If my review didn’t make sense it’s because I don’t really know what went on with most of the book. I got the whole story in the space of five chapters through information dumps basically. Forgive me if I feel slightly overwhelmed.
This book held so much potential. It was a quick read and I could see Pike trying to pull everything together. But sadly the fragments failed to give Earthbound the integrity it strived to achieve. I think there are many people out there that would enjoy this, but Earthbound just wasn’t my thing.
“He needs me. And the world needs us.”
--- [07.08.13] Updated with review.
Firstly, thanks to HarperCollins Australia for this review copy <3
“Who can fight fate, really?”
Earthbound held a very promising concept to me and I had this preconceived idea of what it would be like – something of a cross between Hodkin’s Mara Dyer and Brennan’s Unspoken. What I got instead was almost a mix of Twilight and Fallen. Everything felt so forced and coincidental, it was all a bit too much and by the end I was just sceptical of the previous 350 pages. I’m sort of at a loss as to what to say about my experience with Earthbound. There were times when I liked It, but the majority was me thinking “Wait, slow down, WHY is this happening?!”I got frustrated a lot.
The story commences months after the accident that killed our MC’s parents and the whole plane, save for our protagonist, Tavia, who’s the lone survivor. She’s on the road to recovery and attending therapy when she starts seeing this boy – well actually it’s one occurrence when she’s in the car and then he appears in her backyard at 2am the next morning and when he disappears? Well she misses him. This was the yellow light to me that something was slightly off, but I kept reading because in Tavia’s defence, she does freak out. This was chapter three. Everything went downhill in chapter four. He feels special to her. Makes her feel all warm and frothy inside. Based on one chance encounter and one where he appears at her BEDROOM window and BECKONS her outside. And then he disappears. So they haven’t spoken a word and even though Tavia’s mind is saying maybe he’s a stalker, it’s acceptable because he’s her age and she feels he won’t hurt her. Oh my fucking goodness everything is just wrong with that. On every bloody level. Don’t worry, I’m not spoiling anything, this is only page 31. Her reactions are supposedly off because she suffered brain damage. Tavia thinks her initial reaction to vision-boy is because of her brain… I’m not sure if Pike is trying to play off that insta-love/obsession thing as something to do with Tavia’s brain or not. But either way, Tavia decides her feelings are true. Or something. And she seems to react to this perfectly FINE. She wants to get to know him. NEEDS to. At this point I’m just going “Nuh qurrrlllll, just no, no matter how yummy he looks”. Her priorities are all over the place. When revelations are made about certain events and situations I just felt her initial thoughts and reactions were wrong – she’d think about less important things when something else was screaming at her in the face and she’d only see this later. I also hated how EASY everything came to her. Such a freaking coincidence really.
“I don’t even know his name, but he feels special somehow. My secret. Not the kind of secret that makes you feel guilty and empty inside; he’s a cappuccino secret – something sweet and frothy that warms me from the middle out.”
Usually this paragraph is reserved for my commenting on the male MC – cue my gushing and lip biting over how gorgeous he is and how much I love him. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t, except to say that I actually don’t know what to say about vision-boy. He just pops in and out and there’s a hug here, a kiss there, and I just got sort of bored even though there’s all this enigma surrounding him. And best friend Benson? By god this guy was ANNOYING as hell. In my eyes he tried too hard, was too perfect and understanding and to me that just screams that something is wrong. Everything between Benson and Tavia felt so forced. The crush, the chemistry(?), everything. I. Did. Not. Feel. A. Thing. Horrible, forced, unrelatable love triangle. And this is coming from someone who saw the devotion Jacob Black and Edward Cullen had to Bella Swan, wrong as it was. Ick.
All the secondary characters were so full of crap ugh. Elizabeth her therapist, Jay and Reese her step-uncle and step-aunt. All the same bland characters. Accepting and kind, encouraging, all unbelievably giving her the space she needs and supporting her. I had raised eyebrows every time I read them. And just the way everybody seemed to be ok with everything that was going on with Tavia. I mean, hello WARNING bells when your therapist says it’s completely normal to be seeing things and encourages it, not asking WHY Tavia thinks she sees the things she sees. It wasn’t the kind of inquisitive psychology where the other party sees how the person thinks, there was no attempt at understanding.
“You’ve made so much progress lately that I’ve actually been expecting you to start experiencing some… some changes.”
“And Tavia, you might have more strange things happen. Unexplainable things. And that’s okay.”
The actual plot? It was all over the place! Pike was trying to do everything at once, packing too many ideas into one story. It got so convoluted I kept questioning “why here”, “why him”, “why her”. I got so confused I didn’t know if there were plot holes or not. It was all a jumble of science-fiction, paranormal, history, mythology and Pike tried to tie everything so it seemed connected but I just got this information dump. By the end I got the feeling Pike was trying for a conspiracy theory type feel with roots from deep within mythology and I was meant to be blown away by all this. But I just wasn’t.
“It’s the reason you see things the rest of us can’t.”
If my review didn’t make sense it’s because I don’t really know what went on with most of the book. I got the whole story in the space of five chapters through information dumps basically. Forgive me if I feel slightly overwhelmed.
This book held so much potential. It was a quick read and I could see Pike trying to pull everything together. But sadly the fragments failed to give Earthbound the integrity it strived to achieve. I think there are many people out there that would enjoy this, but Earthbound just wasn’t my thing.
“He needs me. And the world needs us.”
April 10, 2017
I won't say Earthbound is a favorite of mine by Aprilynne Pike but I definitely liked the story in general. It was intriguing and something sort of new. Only the romance didn't sit well with me.
The premise of the book was interesting for sure. A girl being the sole survivor of a plane crash that also killed her parents. Months later she's grieving and in therapy. It's then that very strange things start happening like having visions of a boy she feels drawn to. Soon she and her best friend (and crush) Benson start to unravel everything.
Tavia was an okay character. At time I liked her and at other times I liked her way less. The romance was probably my least favorite thing about this book. It was very cheesy and I just couldn't get why she liked Benson. And I'm not even going to dwell on the love triangle that was forming.
I'm not actually sure I want to read the sequel. At one hand of course I want to, to find out what happens next but on the other hand I'm not sure it's worth it. Yes, Earthbound was a very quick read, one that didn't take a lot of effort to finish but the romance was just not my thing.
All in all, Earthbound had good as well as bad things. The story overall wasn't half bad, but some decisions Tavia made were just dumb. The writing, though, was the best thing in this book. I've always loved Aprilyinne Pike's amazing writing.
The premise of the book was interesting for sure. A girl being the sole survivor of a plane crash that also killed her parents. Months later she's grieving and in therapy. It's then that very strange things start happening like having visions of a boy she feels drawn to. Soon she and her best friend (and crush) Benson start to unravel everything.
Tavia was an okay character. At time I liked her and at other times I liked her way less. The romance was probably my least favorite thing about this book. It was very cheesy and I just couldn't get why she liked Benson. And I'm not even going to dwell on the love triangle that was forming.
I'm not actually sure I want to read the sequel. At one hand of course I want to, to find out what happens next but on the other hand I'm not sure it's worth it. Yes, Earthbound was a very quick read, one that didn't take a lot of effort to finish but the romance was just not my thing.
All in all, Earthbound had good as well as bad things. The story overall wasn't half bad, but some decisions Tavia made were just dumb. The writing, though, was the best thing in this book. I've always loved Aprilyinne Pike's amazing writing.
August 27, 2016
Review will come, when I get myself a life.
August 19, 2022
Mauvais mélange entre fantastique, mysticisme, croyances antiques et réincarnation. C'est très embrouillé, peu dynamique... Bref une déception. J'avais déjà lu Wings de la même autrice, et j'avais eu le même sentiment.
January 16, 2016
I really wanted to like this book, if only because I really enjoyed Aprilynne Pike's Laurel/Wings series and even liked Life After Theft, which got mixed reviews. The premise for this book sounded pretty good. Unfortunately, there were just too many things about this book that makes me realize I probably shouldn't have tried to read it in the first place. If you're wondering whether this is a good book for you, here were the red flags I ignored, without spoilers:
1. Love just happens. First sight not even really required. We get a lot about how much Tavia loves Benson, but does the reader really care? Hmm, I'll have to check the reviews to see if there are any "Benson fans" so to speak, but I'm guessing that with or without the revelations at the end, he just isn't any sort of interesting love interest or even character in general. Sure, we get it, Tavia loves him with the desperation of a girl who has gone through a great trauma and has found ONE person in the whole world to cling to... But then, what is this instant love/lust thing with Quinn? More desperation? He's not even really a character in the book, he's like the idea of one, but that's okay because...you know, it's fate. I guess that alone should've been a red flag for me personally, because I hate these predestined-to-love-forever/lovers-for-10000-lifetimes kind of pseudo-romance, mainly because it doesn't seem like there's anything romantic about it. Judging by the average YA novels these days, people do find this appealing, so I guess it's just me. If you agree with the above though, I doubt you'll like this book.
2. Emotions! Tavia feels them! Unfortunately, I didn't, at all. The whole book felt kind of dead to me, maybe because no one was actually part of the book long enough for me to form any kind of attachment to them except Benson. There was no development with Benson, he's just there. Tavia was already lovey/lusty over him from pg. 24 and that was that. There's a pretty cliche awkward angle about how they don't want to risk the best friends relationship, but we also were told about this "best friend" thing around, well, pg. 24. Usually first person narration helps the reader get into the head and emotions of the main character, but in this case, it never seemed to happen for me.
3. Idiotic and unrealistic decision making. Look, even when the stakes are supposedly life or death, most of the book just doesn't make sense because Tavia's actions just don't make sense. I'm pretty sure even people who really loved this book would agree that there were some things that were a huge stretch, and I'm not talking about any supernatural/fantasy elements.
Anyway, this is a very small pet peeve compared to the above, but did any one else notice how Tavia thinks/feels/speaks in italics? Pretty much every page has italicized verbs, even cringe-worthy phrases like "I feel it." How did the editor miss this? Seriously, anyone who has the book in front of you, turn to any page and look for the italics. I just flipped through starting on a random page and 22 pages in a row had an absurd amount of italicization. One single page had "I know" three times.
I don't know if I just never noticed this with Pike's other books, but it's one of those things that once you start noticing it, you see it everywhere and it makes Tavia's narration progressively more irritating :(
1. Love just happens. First sight not even really required. We get a lot about how much Tavia loves Benson, but does the reader really care? Hmm, I'll have to check the reviews to see if there are any "Benson fans" so to speak, but I'm guessing that with or without the revelations at the end, he just isn't any sort of interesting love interest or even character in general. Sure, we get it, Tavia loves him with the desperation of a girl who has gone through a great trauma and has found ONE person in the whole world to cling to... But then, what is this instant love/lust thing with Quinn? More desperation? He's not even really a character in the book, he's like the idea of one, but that's okay because...you know, it's fate. I guess that alone should've been a red flag for me personally, because I hate these predestined-to-love-forever/lovers-for-10000-lifetimes kind of pseudo-romance, mainly because it doesn't seem like there's anything romantic about it. Judging by the average YA novels these days, people do find this appealing, so I guess it's just me. If you agree with the above though, I doubt you'll like this book.
2. Emotions! Tavia feels them! Unfortunately, I didn't, at all. The whole book felt kind of dead to me, maybe because no one was actually part of the book long enough for me to form any kind of attachment to them except Benson. There was no development with Benson, he's just there. Tavia was already lovey/lusty over him from pg. 24 and that was that. There's a pretty cliche awkward angle about how they don't want to risk the best friends relationship, but we also were told about this "best friend" thing around, well, pg. 24. Usually first person narration helps the reader get into the head and emotions of the main character, but in this case, it never seemed to happen for me.
3. Idiotic and unrealistic decision making. Look, even when the stakes are supposedly life or death, most of the book just doesn't make sense because Tavia's actions just don't make sense. I'm pretty sure even people who really loved this book would agree that there were some things that were a huge stretch, and I'm not talking about any supernatural/fantasy elements.
Anyway, this is a very small pet peeve compared to the above, but did any one else notice how Tavia thinks/feels/speaks in italics? Pretty much every page has italicized verbs, even cringe-worthy phrases like "I feel it." How did the editor miss this? Seriously, anyone who has the book in front of you, turn to any page and look for the italics. I just flipped through starting on a random page and 22 pages in a row had an absurd amount of italicization. One single page had "I know" three times.
I don't know if I just never noticed this with Pike's other books, but it's one of those things that once you start noticing it, you see it everywhere and it makes Tavia's narration progressively more irritating :(
July 31, 2013
Tavia Michaels survived the plane clash that killed her parents and more than two-hundred strangers. She's on her way to physical and emotional recovery when she starts seeing things. A boy, triangles, flickering people. Worse, there's a man following her.
I enjoy books where characters find out that they're living in a paranormal universe, not a realistic one, and they have to piece together the rules. Thus, I liked quite a bit of EARTHBOUND. On that note, however, the book got more disappointing as it went on. Several important pieces of the puzzle are handed to Tavia in a long infodump, one delivered when the characters should be running for their lives. Then it turns out that the rules of the universe might not apply.
There is a love triangle, which will excite almost no one I know. I will give Aprilynne Pike this: I am slightly unsure which boy Tavia will end up with, which is rare indeed. (I have strong feelings about which I think will be Tavia's choice, but the second book will probably be needed to solidify those feelings.) One of the boys is Quinn, who she keeps seeing around but who talks in an elliptical fashion and keeps disappearing. The other is Benson, her best friend whom she wants something more with. He works in a library, which certifies his hotness bona fides. So far my favorite thing about the triangle is Tavia's insistence that she will date and fall in love with who she wants and everyone else can keep their opinion to themselves.
In other words, the triangle didn't bother me much. What did bother me were a couple of brief passages that dropped in on the bad guys. They didn't flow, and I felt they were too obvious about upcoming plot twists. I'm not sure cutting them would have changed EARTHBOUND at all.
EARTHBOUND doesn't really get moving until the end. It's mostly setup - not bad setup - but I felt like the opening was a bit long. I think Pike is developing an interesting mythology and I'm interested in seeing where her strong-willed heroine will go, but I wasn't entirely satisfied with EARTHBOUND. At the same time, the book ended with the main characters in an interesting place.
EARTHBOUND is a good choice for paranormal fans who enjoy conspiracies, secret societies, reincarnation, and love triangles. It's a bit slow, but it promises exciting things for the series to come.
I enjoy books where characters find out that they're living in a paranormal universe, not a realistic one, and they have to piece together the rules. Thus, I liked quite a bit of EARTHBOUND. On that note, however, the book got more disappointing as it went on. Several important pieces of the puzzle are handed to Tavia in a long infodump, one delivered when the characters should be running for their lives. Then it turns out that the rules of the universe might not apply.
There is a love triangle, which will excite almost no one I know. I will give Aprilynne Pike this: I am slightly unsure which boy Tavia will end up with, which is rare indeed. (I have strong feelings about which I think will be Tavia's choice, but the second book will probably be needed to solidify those feelings.) One of the boys is Quinn, who she keeps seeing around but who talks in an elliptical fashion and keeps disappearing. The other is Benson, her best friend whom she wants something more with. He works in a library, which certifies his hotness bona fides. So far my favorite thing about the triangle is Tavia's insistence that she will date and fall in love with who she wants and everyone else can keep their opinion to themselves.
In other words, the triangle didn't bother me much. What did bother me were a couple of brief passages that dropped in on the bad guys. They didn't flow, and I felt they were too obvious about upcoming plot twists. I'm not sure cutting them would have changed EARTHBOUND at all.
EARTHBOUND doesn't really get moving until the end. It's mostly setup - not bad setup - but I felt like the opening was a bit long. I think Pike is developing an interesting mythology and I'm interested in seeing where her strong-willed heroine will go, but I wasn't entirely satisfied with EARTHBOUND. At the same time, the book ended with the main characters in an interesting place.
EARTHBOUND is a good choice for paranormal fans who enjoy conspiracies, secret societies, reincarnation, and love triangles. It's a bit slow, but it promises exciting things for the series to come.
October 23, 2013
***Copy received in exchange of an honest review ***
I loved this book. It was the first book I've read written by Aprilynne Pike and I wasn't disappointed at all. I think it would make a great book to young readers, mostly teenagers. I wish the pace would have been even quicker sometimes because you have to wait a certain time before you have some answers about what is really going on, so if you're a little impatient like me, don't worry you'll have your questions answered, maybe not immediately but you will.
Right at the very beginning, I was already hooked by the story. The first chapter gave me goose bumps, and I just wanted to know more about the heroine. Tavia Michaels is the only survivor in a plane crash who killed her parents. She should be dead and no one can explain the reason of her still being alive. Some people might say it's a miracle, but there is nothing as a coincidence in "Earthbound". Tavia is different from us but she doesn't know that, not yet.
When Reese and Jay told her they were her aunt and uncle, they became her guardians and took care of her. She never met them before but then her memories are shaky since her brain injury, so she didn't question it. She didn't have a family anymore and her friends back in Michigan were superficial. Moving somewhere else was a change for her to start again, and not being seen only as the poor orphan girl who lost her parents. But that doesn't mean it is easier to deal with the guilt of being the reason to why they were in that plane in the first place.
Strange things are happening to her, people she thought trustworthy turned out to be more than they appear. Everyone is lying to her, and when she heard a conversation she wasn't supposed to hear, she'll run away with her friend and crush, Benson. He's the only one she can told all those things. He's always been here for her and their relationship will evolve into something more than just a friendship and I was glad it did because I really enjoyed Benson. I found his character really nice and sweet, you can see he cares about her. However, it was a little harder for me to get attached to Quinn except at the end, when we actually meet the 'real' him.
A really good YA with fantasy and romance. Looking forward to the next book!
I loved this book. It was the first book I've read written by Aprilynne Pike and I wasn't disappointed at all. I think it would make a great book to young readers, mostly teenagers. I wish the pace would have been even quicker sometimes because you have to wait a certain time before you have some answers about what is really going on, so if you're a little impatient like me, don't worry you'll have your questions answered, maybe not immediately but you will.
Right at the very beginning, I was already hooked by the story. The first chapter gave me goose bumps, and I just wanted to know more about the heroine. Tavia Michaels is the only survivor in a plane crash who killed her parents. She should be dead and no one can explain the reason of her still being alive. Some people might say it's a miracle, but there is nothing as a coincidence in "Earthbound". Tavia is different from us but she doesn't know that, not yet.
When Reese and Jay told her they were her aunt and uncle, they became her guardians and took care of her. She never met them before but then her memories are shaky since her brain injury, so she didn't question it. She didn't have a family anymore and her friends back in Michigan were superficial. Moving somewhere else was a change for her to start again, and not being seen only as the poor orphan girl who lost her parents. But that doesn't mean it is easier to deal with the guilt of being the reason to why they were in that plane in the first place.
Strange things are happening to her, people she thought trustworthy turned out to be more than they appear. Everyone is lying to her, and when she heard a conversation she wasn't supposed to hear, she'll run away with her friend and crush, Benson. He's the only one she can told all those things. He's always been here for her and their relationship will evolve into something more than just a friendship and I was glad it did because I really enjoyed Benson. I found his character really nice and sweet, you can see he cares about her. However, it was a little harder for me to get attached to Quinn except at the end, when we actually meet the 'real' him.
A really good YA with fantasy and romance. Looking forward to the next book!
September 6, 2013
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Somewhere around the 1.5 star range.
The premise of this book held a lot of promise, but it was the execution of the story that fell short. When it comes to first books in a series, I'm used to world building overload. This book was just the opposite. Most of it the narrative was spent on Tavia bumbling around making mistake after mistake. At some point, you would think common sense would kick in, but it never did for her. She kept ignoring clues that were right in front of her face and kept jumping into situations that were clearly dangerous.
I also had trouble getting behind Benson.
What did me in the most was the insta-love scenario. It was so overpowering that it became unbelievable and forced. Overall, this book did not wow me but maybe it just wasn't the right fit for me.
*Technical Note: the author went crazy with italics. There would be a minimum of 2 or 3 words italicized on each page and it was very distracting. It drew me out of the story.
Somewhere around the 1.5 star range.
The premise of this book held a lot of promise, but it was the execution of the story that fell short. When it comes to first books in a series, I'm used to world building overload. This book was just the opposite. Most of it the narrative was spent on Tavia bumbling around making mistake after mistake. At some point, you would think common sense would kick in, but it never did for her. She kept ignoring clues that were right in front of her face and kept jumping into situations that were clearly dangerous.
I also had trouble getting behind Benson.
What did me in the most was the insta-love scenario. It was so overpowering that it became unbelievable and forced. Overall, this book did not wow me but maybe it just wasn't the right fit for me.
*Technical Note: the author went crazy with italics. There would be a minimum of 2 or 3 words italicized on each page and it was very distracting. It drew me out of the story.
July 22, 2013
By page 3 of Earthbound I was hooked. By page 300 I thought it was getting a bit ridiculous. One thing I really liked about this novel was that it portrayed librarians in a new light. I don't think there are many stories where the love interest is a library intern. I was surprised at the novel's resolution. The story came to what I thought would be the natural cliff-hanging resolution but there were a couple of chapters still to come. I think I've been reading too much series fiction because I expect frustrating endings that leave me pining for the next installment. Earthbound had a very satisfying resolution. If it doesn't turn into a series, I won't be heartbroken but if it does I look forward to reading about Tavia's next adventure.
May 4, 2013
This was bad. At about 25% left in the book, I stopped reading. I couldn't finish it. The reveal took way too long, and still she's not sure of everything. Also, the dreaded love triangle *sigh* reminded me a lot like "Wings". The human boy & the supernatural one. She's fighting her feelings for both. Also, I do not mind romance in a book but this was too much. She was kissing Benson most of the time ughh. Benson is suspicious. I do not trust him. Overall, I obviously didn't like it. maybe someday I'll finish the rest of the book, but I doubt it.
January 10, 2014
Didn't finish it. Book just didn't do it for me & did not appeal to me.
Characters were boring, plot was sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!
Eh, MIGHT try reading it again at a later date, but as for now, I have other books to read.
Pike, I am disappointed. :( I loved the Wings series, so....what happened?
Characters were boring, plot was sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!
Eh, MIGHT try reading it again at a later date, but as for now, I have other books to read.
Pike, I am disappointed. :( I loved the Wings series, so....what happened?
February 19, 2019
J'ai fait de mon mieux, vraiment. J'ai dépassé les cent pages, comme je me l'impose pour tous les livres que je n'apprécie pas (on ne sait jamais, il faut leur laisser une chance !), mais ça a été une véritable torture.
Il n'y aura pas de spoiler dans cette review, puisque je ne suis pas arrivée assez loin dans l'histoire pour qu'elle puisse révéler tous ses secrets (s'il y en a, bien entendu). Je vais me baser sur mon ressenti et sur mes prémonitions.
Le plus gros défaut de Le baiser de la déesse, c'est son manque d'originalité. Ce roman accumule tous les clichés de la littérature fantasy YA. Premièrement, l'héroïne est banale au possible. Elle est orpheline, a survécu à un événement traumatisant (un crash d'avion) et elle en est l'unique survivante. Depuis qu'elle a perdu ses parents, elle vit chez son oncle et sa tante, qui sont très gentils avec elle.
Je ne sais pas pour vous, mais ça me rappelle énormément la saga Eternels, écrite par Alyson Noël. Si vous ne connaissez pas, je vous assure que l'héroïne Ever partage le même passé (my bad, c'était un accident de voiture, pas un crash d'avion, mais ça revient au même).
Puis il y a le second cliché qui ne pardonne pas : le triangle amoureux. Je déteste avec une passion que vous ne pouvez pas imaginer les triangles amoureux. C'est une des raisons principales pour laquelle je DNF un livre. Je ne dis pas que ce genre de trope est foncièrement mauvais : je suis certaine qu'il peut apporter une certaine tension à l'histoire. Mais il apparaît dans énormément de livres YA et je vous avoue, j'en ai marre.
Enfin, j'ai trouvé le rythme du livre est vraiment mal exécuté. Tout va trop vite. À la page trente, tous les gros éléments étaient déjà révélés. Je ne doute pas que d'autres problèmes et solutions apparaîtront plus tard, mais je n'ai pas la patience d'aller plus loin pour le découvrir.
Je ne suis pas de mauvaise foi : si j'avais lu ce livre quelques années auparavant, je suis certaine que je l'aurais apprécié. Il n'est pas mauvais, dans le sens qu'il serait problématique ou qu'il me donnerait envie d'étrangler quelqu'un, mais il n'a rien de spécial. Mes attentes et mes exigences ont changé, je n'ai plus quatorze ans, et j'en attends bien plus de ce genre car je sais qu'il peut me donner bien plus.
Il n'y aura pas de spoiler dans cette review, puisque je ne suis pas arrivée assez loin dans l'histoire pour qu'elle puisse révéler tous ses secrets (s'il y en a, bien entendu). Je vais me baser sur mon ressenti et sur mes prémonitions.
Le plus gros défaut de Le baiser de la déesse, c'est son manque d'originalité. Ce roman accumule tous les clichés de la littérature fantasy YA. Premièrement, l'héroïne est banale au possible. Elle est orpheline, a survécu à un événement traumatisant (un crash d'avion) et elle en est l'unique survivante. Depuis qu'elle a perdu ses parents, elle vit chez son oncle et sa tante, qui sont très gentils avec elle.
Je ne sais pas pour vous, mais ça me rappelle énormément la saga Eternels, écrite par Alyson Noël. Si vous ne connaissez pas, je vous assure que l'héroïne Ever partage le même passé (my bad, c'était un accident de voiture, pas un crash d'avion, mais ça revient au même).
Puis il y a le second cliché qui ne pardonne pas : le triangle amoureux. Je déteste avec une passion que vous ne pouvez pas imaginer les triangles amoureux. C'est une des raisons principales pour laquelle je DNF un livre. Je ne dis pas que ce genre de trope est foncièrement mauvais : je suis certaine qu'il peut apporter une certaine tension à l'histoire. Mais il apparaît dans énormément de livres YA et je vous avoue, j'en ai marre.
Enfin, j'ai trouvé le rythme du livre est vraiment mal exécuté. Tout va trop vite. À la page trente, tous les gros éléments étaient déjà révélés. Je ne doute pas que d'autres problèmes et solutions apparaîtront plus tard, mais je n'ai pas la patience d'aller plus loin pour le découvrir.
Je ne suis pas de mauvaise foi : si j'avais lu ce livre quelques années auparavant, je suis certaine que je l'aurais apprécié. Il n'est pas mauvais, dans le sens qu'il serait problématique ou qu'il me donnerait envie d'étrangler quelqu'un, mais il n'a rien de spécial. Mes attentes et mes exigences ont changé, je n'ai plus quatorze ans, et j'en attends bien plus de ce genre car je sais qu'il peut me donner bien plus.
June 13, 2017
I love this book. It's got an unreliable narrator who is recovering from a near death experience and dealing with severe trauma and damage to her brain. She doesn't know what's real and neither do we. But she sees things that others don't. And she has dreams that feel too real to be dreams.
Tavia was a really cool protagonist and I enjoyed every minute inside her mind. I felt everything she felt which is the mark of a fantastic author. I sank so deeply into Tavia's world that it took me several minutes after closing the book to adjust back to my reality.
I love uncovering who Tavia is and what she can do. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot but it's definitely worth reading this entire book! The twists, the turns, the heartbreak, the revelations. It was a fast paced read filled with suspense and drama.
Aprilynne Pike is a new favorite author of mine and I will be checking out the rest of this trilogy and her other series as well.
Tavia was a really cool protagonist and I enjoyed every minute inside her mind. I felt everything she felt which is the mark of a fantastic author. I sank so deeply into Tavia's world that it took me several minutes after closing the book to adjust back to my reality.
I love uncovering who Tavia is and what she can do. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot but it's definitely worth reading this entire book! The twists, the turns, the heartbreak, the revelations. It was a fast paced read filled with suspense and drama.
Aprilynne Pike is a new favorite author of mine and I will be checking out the rest of this trilogy and her other series as well.
November 2, 2024
Better than its cover art would suggest. Different than what I usually read, but sufficiently entertaining and interesting. Had a few predictable bits, but they weren't telegraphed super obviously. If I have a major beef with the book, it feels like not that much happened... As if the entire book could have been condensed to become the first part of a more eventful story.
June 14, 2013
Picking uo a book from a author I know and love, she has never failed me. This time around, she took my breathe away, taking me on a unexpected journey of truth and lies.
1. Plot. The plot of the book is brilliant. I love how in an instant, the reader is moving with the plot, feeling every depth of emotion. The story really moves with the reader and I can appreciate that. I enjoyed being out of the loop and overcoming every single plot twist and turn with Tavia.
2. Build Up. The author did a great job in building up tension, trust, secrets, etc. GAH! I want to explode and tell you everything!!! I will not. Trust me when I say that I thought I had it all figured out….I was wrong.
3. Love interest. This too was also done extremely well. With the turn of event at the end of the book, I’m VERY interested in seeing where this love interest will go. At this point, I think it can go either way. Tavia is a very strong person for all that she went through. I admired her determination to see thing through.
4. Secret society. Yes, there is one and I really loved how well it was written. The reader is given piece by piece and able to make connections at the right time. I really enjoyed the back round to the society. It’s gives the story much more depth and information to look forward too. I’m anxious to see exactly how it will all played out now that certain secrets where exposed.
5. Excitement. This story brings enough excitement to make your heart race! I really loved the world building, the setting and breaking of trust. Towards the end of the book, I didn’t even know who to trust anymore. I was getting so caught up in the book that every decision that Tavia made, made ME nervous!!
An excellent start in series that I know will impress me, Earthbound is unstoppable. Jam-packed with on the run action, intense love and secrets, Earthbound serves up everything you want in a story. An effective thrill ride from start to finish, Earthbound rocks!
1. Plot. The plot of the book is brilliant. I love how in an instant, the reader is moving with the plot, feeling every depth of emotion. The story really moves with the reader and I can appreciate that. I enjoyed being out of the loop and overcoming every single plot twist and turn with Tavia.
2. Build Up. The author did a great job in building up tension, trust, secrets, etc. GAH! I want to explode and tell you everything!!! I will not. Trust me when I say that I thought I had it all figured out….I was wrong.
3. Love interest. This too was also done extremely well. With the turn of event at the end of the book, I’m VERY interested in seeing where this love interest will go. At this point, I think it can go either way. Tavia is a very strong person for all that she went through. I admired her determination to see thing through.
4. Secret society. Yes, there is one and I really loved how well it was written. The reader is given piece by piece and able to make connections at the right time. I really enjoyed the back round to the society. It’s gives the story much more depth and information to look forward too. I’m anxious to see exactly how it will all played out now that certain secrets where exposed.
5. Excitement. This story brings enough excitement to make your heart race! I really loved the world building, the setting and breaking of trust. Towards the end of the book, I didn’t even know who to trust anymore. I was getting so caught up in the book that every decision that Tavia made, made ME nervous!!
An excellent start in series that I know will impress me, Earthbound is unstoppable. Jam-packed with on the run action, intense love and secrets, Earthbound serves up everything you want in a story. An effective thrill ride from start to finish, Earthbound rocks!
Read
January 13, 2015Earthbound had pros and cons for me. On the plus side, it was engaging and easy to read. Tavia, who has just lost her parents in a plane crash, was a character I immediately felt empathy towards. I especially loved the dynamic between Tavia and Benson, the cute, slightly nerdy librarian she befriends after she moves in with her aunt and uncle. They had a nice friends-with-chemistry vibe that I enjoyed.
When Tavia starts having visions of a mysterious boy from the past, I was intrigued. She and Benson begin to investigate, realize she's in danger, and are soon on the run. I have limited patience for "on the run" plots, but this one actually kept my interest … to a point. There was a lot of "mysterious this" and "mysterious that" and being chased. After about 250 pages, the reader is clued in to what's going on. But because the book is almost over, the explanation for all the supernatural stuff is pretty basic, mostly limited to what is in the book's blurb: there are some good guys and some bad guys and that they've been locked in combat for centuries, and the bad guys have "shadowy purposes". It was both vague and hyperbolic, like a movie trailer voiceover. At one point, a character actually tells Tavia, "You are humankind's last hope." Then there's the love triangle. It wasn't a huge issue for me in this installment, but readers who have had it up to here with love triangles may disagree. And it is definitely possible that things will get more triangle-y in future books...
So while I wasn't wildly in love with Earthbound, I'll remain cautiously optimistic. I'll try to read the second book in the hopes that it will offer a more than a hand wave-y explanation of Tavia's powers and the two factions and what it all means. I'm also hopeful that the love triangle won't become a problem.
Read the full review and more YA reviews on my blog, Jen @ YA Romantics
When Tavia starts having visions of a mysterious boy from the past, I was intrigued. She and Benson begin to investigate, realize she's in danger, and are soon on the run. I have limited patience for "on the run" plots, but this one actually kept my interest … to a point. There was a lot of "mysterious this" and "mysterious that" and being chased. After about 250 pages, the reader is clued in to what's going on. But because the book is almost over, the explanation for all the supernatural stuff is pretty basic, mostly limited to what is in the book's blurb: there are some good guys and some bad guys and that they've been locked in combat for centuries, and the bad guys have "shadowy purposes". It was both vague and hyperbolic, like a movie trailer voiceover. At one point, a character actually tells Tavia, "You are humankind's last hope." Then there's the love triangle. It wasn't a huge issue for me in this installment, but readers who have had it up to here with love triangles may disagree. And it is definitely possible that things will get more triangle-y in future books...
So while I wasn't wildly in love with Earthbound, I'll remain cautiously optimistic. I'll try to read the second book in the hopes that it will offer a more than a hand wave-y explanation of Tavia's powers and the two factions and what it all means. I'm also hopeful that the love triangle won't become a problem.
Read the full review and more YA reviews on my blog, Jen @ YA Romantics
July 22, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
There is a wonderful sense of mystery and intrigue throughout EARTHBOUND that perfectly compliments the utterly unique mythology that Aprilynne Pike has created. It is a complex story with a robust supernatural world that is as elusive to readers as it is Tavia for most of the book, but even though my head was spinning with questions while reading, all the answers were provided by the end.
As far as protagonists go, it isn’t often that we get one who is recovering from traumatic brain damage along with severe physical injuries. It added such an interesting layer to Tavia and provided real credibility to her fears that she may be loosing her mind when she first begins seeing things. I also really appreciated that Tavia’s injuries and limitations were dealt with in such a realistic way, even when she learned more about her supernatural abilities, she wasn’t able to ‘fix’ herself. It’s who she is.
The romance was the one element that was a little underwhelming for me. I thought Tavia’s crush on the cute librarian who was helping her catch up on on the school she missed was initially really sweet, but once they started looking into Tavia’s abilities, the romance stumbled. Feelings and huge declarations came fast and free and there were a lot of make-out scenes at really inopportune moments.
Overall, EARTHBOUND is delightfully surprising from beginning to end and packed with inventive mythology and tons of action laced danger. The setup up for the next book in the Earthbound series actually has me more excited for that story than I even was for this one. I’m looking for more twisty-turny fun and the promise of a romance that has epic potential.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
There is a wonderful sense of mystery and intrigue throughout EARTHBOUND that perfectly compliments the utterly unique mythology that Aprilynne Pike has created. It is a complex story with a robust supernatural world that is as elusive to readers as it is Tavia for most of the book, but even though my head was spinning with questions while reading, all the answers were provided by the end.
As far as protagonists go, it isn’t often that we get one who is recovering from traumatic brain damage along with severe physical injuries. It added such an interesting layer to Tavia and provided real credibility to her fears that she may be loosing her mind when she first begins seeing things. I also really appreciated that Tavia’s injuries and limitations were dealt with in such a realistic way, even when she learned more about her supernatural abilities, she wasn’t able to ‘fix’ herself. It’s who she is.
The romance was the one element that was a little underwhelming for me. I thought Tavia’s crush on the cute librarian who was helping her catch up on on the school she missed was initially really sweet, but once they started looking into Tavia’s abilities, the romance stumbled. Feelings and huge declarations came fast and free and there were a lot of make-out scenes at really inopportune moments.
Overall, EARTHBOUND is delightfully surprising from beginning to end and packed with inventive mythology and tons of action laced danger. The setup up for the next book in the Earthbound series actually has me more excited for that story than I even was for this one. I’m looking for more twisty-turny fun and the promise of a romance that has epic potential.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
May 9, 2015
I was pretty excited when I won this book as a First Reads giveaway since I enjoyed the Wings series, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed. It was fairly likeable, but it was just one of those books that was good enough to want to finish but not so good that I was particularly invested in how it was going to turn out. I found the concept for the book to be pretty creative and interesting, which is probably why I stuck with it, but it felt like I kept waiting and waiting for some hint as to what was going on. I know you want to save the big surprises for the climax at the end, but I guess I was just never sure what exactly was going on or who to side with.
And I found Tavia to be one of those protagonists who makes wrong choices and misses poorly-disguised clues, making the reader (i.e. me) want to smack the book to my forehead in frustration because the right choice should be obvious. In the last few chapters she was put in a very difficult situation, but it seemed like instead of making a rational decision, she got frustrated with everyone telling her what to do and decided to do the opposite in order to prove she still had some control over her life. I understand she's a teenager with some baggage, but honestly, when there are lives at stake I would hope even a teenager would quit her foot-stamping "but I don't wanna" tantrum and do the mature thing.
All that being said, I'll probably tune in for the sequel. I feel like circumstances worked out to aim her in the right direction, and I'm interested to see where Ms. Pike takes this since there are still plenty of questions I'd like answered.
And I found Tavia to be one of those protagonists who makes wrong choices and misses poorly-disguised clues, making the reader (i.e. me) want to smack the book to my forehead in frustration because the right choice should be obvious. In the last few chapters she was put in a very difficult situation, but it seemed like instead of making a rational decision, she got frustrated with everyone telling her what to do and decided to do the opposite in order to prove she still had some control over her life. I understand she's a teenager with some baggage, but honestly, when there are lives at stake I would hope even a teenager would quit her foot-stamping "but I don't wanna" tantrum and do the mature thing.
All that being said, I'll probably tune in for the sequel. I feel like circumstances worked out to aim her in the right direction, and I'm interested to see where Ms. Pike takes this since there are still plenty of questions I'd like answered.
May 5, 2013
Once Tavia's plane crashed she became socially withdrawn. She becomes friends with a college librarian - Benson (I've never heard of that name before by the way) - and secretly has a crush on him. He's pretty much her anchor in life; someone Tavia can turn to when she's down or has something on her mind. It's not all platonic though! Some where down the line they hook up and it's BEAUTIFUL! When they finally got together I was sighing of relief and happiness. What I liked about both of them together is the tension was never strong and awkward. Que the second guy who randomly shows up everywhere and freaks Tavia out - Quinn - with long blonde hair and striking eyes. He's gorgeous and someone ladies would kill to be with. I'm not into guys with blonde hair so much (I find brunettes more attractive, I don't know why!) but Quinn is different. He's definitely going on my book boyfriend list!
One of the things that irritated me was Tavia is in the tstl category. I hate putting characters there, but she makes choices that boggles my mind and gets her in trouble. It's like a situation where everyone knows what to do because it's common knowledge, but the main character does the opposite. It's just... ARG!
The plot was very interesting; it's unique and kept me engaged. I never felt it was slow or moving at a too-fast pace. It was very nice to read, and I enjoyed myself immensely. I recommend this book for sure!
One of the things that irritated me was Tavia is in the tstl category. I hate putting characters there, but she makes choices that boggles my mind and gets her in trouble. It's like a situation where everyone knows what to do because it's common knowledge, but the main character does the opposite. It's just... ARG!
The plot was very interesting; it's unique and kept me engaged. I never felt it was slow or moving at a too-fast pace. It was very nice to read, and I enjoyed myself immensely. I recommend this book for sure!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 652 reviews