Hover

The Taking #2

by Melissa West

On Earth, seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander was taught to never peek, but if she hopes to survive life on her new planet, Loge, her eyes must never shut. Because in this world, pleasure is everything, held up by a ruling body that keeps their people in check by giving them what they want and closing their eyes to what's really happening around them. The only hope Loge has is to move its people to Earth, and they have a plan.

Thousands of humans crossed over to Loge after a poisonous neurotoxin released into Earth’s atmosphere, nearly killing them. They sought refuge in hopes of finding a new life, but what they became were slaves, built to wage war against their home planet. That is, unless Ari and Jackson can stop them. But on Loge, nothing is as it seems…and no one can be trusted.

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

229 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 2013

About the author

Melissa West is the USA TODAY bestselling author of swoony Southern romance and YA sci-fi romance,
all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn't like kissing?. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University.


Connect with Melissa at www.melissawestauthor.com.

Reviews

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have to start a rebellion. It's already begun.

3.5 stars. I'm actually happy that Book 2 of The Taking reads less like Lux this time around and more like Divergent instead. While many might argue that Divergent isn't exactly the gold standard of excellence in sci-fi, I was more than okay with the shift. At least I don't have to complain about reading another paranormal book which just happens to feature aliens.

Why the Divergent comparison? The simulations immediately brought me back to the fear sims in Divergent, even though we've traversed way beyond non-combative fears in this book. I seem to have a fascination with alternate reality and how it plays on the brain because I notice myself slowing down to read scenes such as these, even if I was reading at a break-neck pace before. *ponders why that is*

I'm really enjoying this series now that it's settled into some form of sci-fi-lite or perhaps even sci-fi-romance, as I'm more able to define what I'm reading (yes, I'm super-crazy/rabid about genre definitions). It's good to have some books lined up in the repertoire which I can recommend to friends who might struggle with a harder-edged science fiction. There's an ample amount of romance and interpersonal relationships to balance out the coming revolution. And it's a romance I'm enjoying even more with the second book, now that the characters have moved away from the typical boy-meets-girl-and-they-are-instantly-connected angle and into deeper, more volatile territory.

I used to think Jackson hid his true thoughts to be mysterious, but now I think he does it because he's seen and experienced things worse than most people and he's afraid to let on just how jacked up he might be inside.

The technology aspect is still weak but I like the ideas that West comes up with. I don't even care if a man-made wormhole being used to reroute transmissions would actually work or not. At least there are definite ideas put in place which differentiate how the human and alien planets work.

I'm also curious to know who is supposed to be trustworthy. My opinion seems to change with every few chapters. As of now, I am not betting on any one government or faction because everyone seems to be corrupted by power, which isn't a big surprise because POWER CORRUPTS. Duh. :p

The relationship between Jackson and Ari has become even more complicated. I love when relationship obstacles involve a bigger picture, instead of constantly rehashing two people and their own personal hangups (not that Jackson doesn't have some of those - mysterious creature that he is). It makes you root harder for the two people to find happiness. I am going to be right there with the others, rooting for Jackson and Ari to find happiness in the midst of chaos.

"What can I say? For me, it has always been you."

The ending = hmmm. It's definitely got me interested in book 3. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. I can't wait to see what's up next!

Questions for those who have read the book (don't click if you don't want to read spoilers; if you end up answering in the comments section instead of by pm, please use spoiler tags) It mentioned that Jackson was nervous about Ari being able to kill Zeus because no one had gotten close to succeeding before - but this was AFTER Ari's failed attempt. If he knew it was going to fail, why did he let her go?

Also, why can't I remember how Jackson can hear Ari's thoughts? It seems like some Ancients can hear thoughts and others can't? Can Zeus? Would he be able to anticipate an attack?

This book provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes have been taken from the pre-published version and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and Netgalley.)

“Just because you aren’t afraid doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason to be afraid.”



This was a brilliant Sci-Fi sequel, and I loved Zeus’s evil ideas!

I liked Ari and Jackson in this book, although their decisions didn’t always make sense. I liked how they cared more about other people than themselves though, and weren’t afraid to risk their own lives if they thought it benefitted the greater good.

“I’ve never been one to value my life over others and if it comes to it, in the end, I will always throw myself in first, regardless of the consequences. If my life saves the people here, then it is a very small price to pay, and one that I will gladly offer.”



This book did start off fairly slow, but as the tension increased, and the situation went from bad to worse, things got good really quickly! I loved the twists and turns, I loved how Zeus was always one step ahead, and always with a new evil plan to take over the world! **Evil Laugh**

“The smile widens, and I have to draw a breath to keep my stress level in check. He knew. How did he know?”



There wasn’t a lot of romance in this one, but what we did get was really good! I loved Ari and Jackson together, and they really were a great couple.

“I want you. In every way. In any way I can get you.”



“My heart swells as I stare at him, and I wonder if this is what it’s like to fall for someone. It’s slow and steady, not rushed by fear or the threat of losing everything you love. No, it’s just a girl and a boy, staring into each other’s eyes, lost to everything but each other.”



The ending to this was really good, although we were once again left with a cliff-hanger! Can’t wait to read the last book in the series and find out how it all ends now!
9 out of 10

Jackson turns around so he’s facing me. “This, what you did, it’s amazing. You’re amazing.”
“No, I’m not. I’m reckless and prideful and selfish. And I’m scared Jackson. I’m so scared.” I feel tears welling in my eyes and for the first time I don’t try to blink them away. “I should be focused and ready. I should be brave. But I’m not. I’m afraid of so many things right now that I can barely breath.”

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uuurrgghhh!

What was with that ending? West is like a master at the cliffhanger. Geebuz.

[Melissa West]

For book updates, giveaways, sneak peeks at upcoming books, and general awesomeness, join my newsletter here!

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hover (The Taking #2) Review on K-Books

"My first thought every day for the rest of my life... will be you."

Oh. My. Alien. Goodness! This book was just un-freaking-believable! Right from the moment that I finished reading the first installment in this series, Gravity, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Hover and see what was going to happen. To me Gravity was a phenomenal start to a series and I desperately wanted to see what was going to happen. In no way whatsoever did I think that Hover could surpass Gravity but it did. It completely stunned me and blew me away so much I think I may have landed on another planet. I had pretty high expectations for this book because of how much I adored the first one and it far exceeded anything I could have imagined.

Ari has been taken from Earth and is on a whole new planet with the Ancients. But nothing is ever as she seems. Ari must be on her guard at all times. Can she really tryst the people on Loge? Ari imagined the planet to be peaceful but she discovers many hidden secrets that could threaten everything she could have ever imagined. And what is happening on Earth while she is away? One thing is for sure Ari needs to figure out who to trust and what to do to save the remains of two planets and two people. But there is one thing Ari knows.... no matter what things will never be the same.

I finished Hover days ago and I am still just reeling over what happened. Melissa West is officially one of my favourite authors of all time. She is an absolute genius to come up with this story and execute it to the perfect, phenomenal extent that she has. I am just completely in awe of her for this series. If you had asked me a year ago what I would think about a series with aliens in it I would have been like "Aliens? NO WAY! I don't 'do' Sci-Fi books" but OMG Melissa West just completely changed my perception of alien books. I never thought I would like Alien books but The Taking is one of my favourite series of all time. I have developed such an author crush on Melissa and I am such a fangirl of hers. Her writing style is addictive and I could not put this book down at all. I am just completely blown away by this phenomenal series. I loved every single second of it.

Melissa officially writes the best characters ever. I really loved Ari in Gravity. She was a great character to read about. Well Ari is even better in Hover. When looking at the person she was back at the beginning of Gravity and the person she is at the end of Hover you can really see how much she has grown as a character. She has had to deal with such a lot and she has grown from a girl trying to survive and make her family proud to a kick-ass woman who listens to her own instincts and follows her head and heart to do what is right not only for her own world but for the Aincents too. I absolutely love her.

I was so confused about Jackson in the first book of this series. I liked him but then he was such an ass sometimes that I didn't really know what he was about. Well my mind is completely made up now! I am completely head-over-heels in love with Jackson. He is just so amazing. We see a totally different side to Jackson in this installment and you get to see just how much he has to deal with back on his home planet. This is one alien that I would move planets for!

Hover is a phenomenal installment of The Taking Series. It completely stole my heart and my breath. I could not read this book fast enough. So much was happening and it had me freaking out through pretty much the entire second half. I just couldn't stop reading as I had to know what was going to happen. I went through pretty much every emotion possible while reading this book. I was happy, I was sad, I was angry. I was totally in love and swooning and then totally heartbroken wanting to just go into the foetal position and cry for hours. Hover literally has everything that you could possibly want in a book. Non-stop action that stops your heart and breath-taking romance. I loved every moment of it.

Be warned if you are expecting something just like Gravity you will be shocked. Melissa completely pulled it out of the bag and there were so many twists and turns I thought I had whiplash. It kept me guessing right until the very end and just when I thought I had figured out what was going to happen BAM! It went in the total opposite direction to what I thought. So much more happens in this book than Gravity and it is way more intense and violent. It was possibly one of the best books I have ever read in my life. I need book 3 like right now... but until then I will just go and sit in a corner and rock back and forth like a crazy person and cry.

This series is a must-read. Go read it now!

"What can I say? For me, it has always been you."

[Samantha]

The first book was only just released so I'm pretty sure this will come out towards the later half of 2013. Woe. :( I want more Jackson!!!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars: A disappointing sequel that presents little resolution and a cliffhanger ending.
Ari is still reeling from the fall out back on Earth. In an attempt to rid the Earth of the Ancients, a deadly toxin was released. Unfortunately, due to the symbiotic relationship between the Ancients and the humans, many humans were also poisoned, Ari among them. Jackson rescued Ari and brought her to Loge the planet of the Ancients. The maniacal leader, Zeus, is dangerous and he continues to threaten the humans on Earth. Ari is given an impossible task from the leaders on Earth. She must kill Zeus in order to save humanity. Can Ari save her home and murder Zeus?
What I Liked:
*This is a book that focuses on Ari's growth. When I first met Ari in Gravity, she was headstrong, focused, loyal and she believed that she was superior. She falls in love with Jackson, who she feels betrays her because he isn't up front about his heritage. Now she is struggling to come to terms with her surroundings and forgive Jackson. It is a trying journey for her, but I was pleased by her growth and transformation by the end of the book. She is an entirely different character, more admirable and I was drawn to her fierce courage.
*The romance blossoms and it is truly beautiful. It takes a long time, but Ari finally forgives and gives into her emotions. Once this happens, it is a wonderful ride. I loved that romance was full of depth and truth.
*I was glad that I finally got to know the Ancients better, and aside from Zeus, they are very similar to humans except they are a bit more open minded when it comes to the powers of the human mind and more advanced. I loved getting to know Emme and Maime. They are truly extraordinary and wise. These two characters make the book.
*This story is filled with tension and drama and there is plenty of action. Zeus is a horrific villain and he is constantly unleashing his evil plots, which helps to notch up the tension.
And The Now So Much:
*Unfortunately, this book suffered from the middle book syndrome. Aside from showing Ari's growth and learning about the Ancients, there is not much movement with the plot. The entire book is focused on Ari plotting to murder Zeus, and his threats to Earth. Surprisingly, there really isn't much to capture your attention as far as the side stories go either.
*There is trouble brewing on Earth, but what exactly is going on is not certain. I found that I grew bored of the plot revolving around Zeus and I wanted more.
*The biggest disappointment is that this book climaxes to a big, action packed, dramatic ending only to end in a horrible cliffhanger with absolutely no resolution. Basically, this book goes nowhere. I was so frustrated with the ending. I felt like I read the entire book for very little payout. The end presents a whole new batch of unanswered questions along with all the remaining unresolved issues. I was expecting at least some resolution and I got nothing.
It was apparent early on that Jackson was aware of Zeus' seemingly omniscient abilities, so why on earth would he send Ari in to murder him with a half baked plot? Then after that point, they focus on extensive plotting and planning. It just didn't seem to fit.

Hover was an unfulfilling sequel. I enjoyed Gravity, but this time around the drawn out murder plot and unresolved finale left me sorely disappointed. I felt this book served as a middle book, as there is very little movement with the storyline. I was hoping for much more. At this point, I am unsure as to whether or not I will continue this series. I really wanted to like this one, but I didn't and I can't say that I would recommend it unless you are one who is okay with a cliffhanger ending and little resolution.

Favorite Quotations:
"My heart swells as I stare at him, and I wonder if this is what it's like to actually fall for someone. It's slow and steady, not rushed by fear or the threat of losing everything you love."
"Greatness often mingles with insanity."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.


Quite pleased with this book. The ending definitely made me raise my eyebrows in surprise so I'm really interested to see what happens next in the 3rd and final book and hopefully we get to find find out about what the heck is happening on Earth that's got everyone there, on edge and not themselves.

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at City of Books

I was so psyched when I found out I won an eARC of Hover from Entangled! Needless to say, I started it immediately. Like the moment I received it. Hover, if you can imagine, is even better than Gravity! I gave both books 5 stars but I wish there was a way I could differentiate. Because this one is just mind-blowing. It's very different from Gravity, of course, since the entire book takes place on Loge, not Earth. And I loved the new setting, Loge sounds absolutely amazing. Well, not the situation of course, but the general stuff.

Ari is now on Loge, being taken care of by an old woman called Emmy, who is more than she seems. Jackson is with her too, but she's trying to keep her distance from him on account of the huge secrets he kept from her. But Ari and Jackson need each other, and she figures that out over the course of the novel. The situation in both Loge and Earth is deteriorating fast, and the leaders on Earth give Ari an ultimatum. Kill Zeus, or everything will end. Ari doesn't know if she can trust Jackson, since he's Zeus's grandson after all, but he's with her every step of the way.

Ari is definitely one of my favourite female protagonists. She kind of reminds me of Alex from Jennifer Armentrout's Covenant series, because of her toughness, courage, and kindness. Ari has always been taught to be strong, but she doesn't know if she can be who her father wants her to be - a commander. Because she cares too much. Ari's determined to save Earth as well as the humans on Loge, and all the Logeans who have stood against Zeus. So that's quite a huge burden on her. Plus, she's becoming more Ancient and less human by the minute. She has Logean abilities, and learns to enhance them. I loved how much Ari grows in this book. She becomes so much wiser, and more than anything, she learns to trust.

Jackson is so completely different from the one we see in Gravity! After all, he's not Jackson Locke anymore. He's the grandson of Zeus, the leader of Loge. He's pretty damn important on Loge, and Ari sees that really quickly. We see a lot of different sides of Jackson in Hover - sides you'd never think he had. Jackson is incredibly protective of Ari, he's strong and on the right track, he's got a great mind, and he can be vulnerable too. That last side just about broke me into pieces, guys. Jackson, open and hurt and vulnerable? Yeah. But it made me admire him so much more because of his ability to hold it together on the surface. He'll do anything to stop the war, and that includes assassinating his grandfather. But it's a lot harder than he thought, and the people he loves are in danger.

One new character that really had an impact on me is Vill. He's Jackson's roommate, and an incredible artist. He's a genius, too. He's the one who installs a safe communication link with Earth so that Ari and Jackson can talk to the President and the other leaders to come up with a plan. Vill is a lot wiser than he looks. Emmy is his grandmother, so he's obviously inherited her intellect and thought process. I can't wait to get to know him more in Collide, since he intrigued me so much in this.

One thing that tied me all up in knots is the ending. Cliffhanger warning! I can't stand not knowing what's going to happen! It's definitely epic, no doubt about that. And totally unexpected. And I should shut up now before I give away anything. Anyway, this book totally blew me away with its action and surprises and danger and romance. Ari and Jackson have some major sparks! I loved those scenes. And Zeus is one evil guy! He's the kind of villain you love to hate. Like Voldemort. This guy has no remorse. I shudder to think of what Ari and Jackson go through at his hands...

So in case you haven't caught on yet, I LOVED this. So much that I want to re-read it immediately. It's building up to a huge climax in Collide, which I hope lives up to my expectations of it after reading this! Melissa West created such an amazing sequel with this one. I love her writing and I love her characters. I don't want to let go of them! We really get to know them in Hover, and they buried their way into my heart. Ari and Jackson have made their way to my favourite YA couples list! Not that I actually have a list, but you know what I mean. They're incredible together. And I can't wait to see how their relationship develops in Collide, as well as how everything plays out.

*Thank you to Heather Riccio for providing an eARC for review*

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read more of my reviews at Nick's Book Blog.

Hover, the sequel to Gravity, was a fulfilling second book in the series although I did have a few qualms with it. Despite the few issues I had, the growth of the characters and the better understanding of the world building made this book a successful one for me.

Ari was a kick-ass character that I fell in love in the first book. In this book, she grew even further. She was bold, strong and wasn't afraid to fight for her loved ones. In Hover, she still possessed those qualities, but she was also more mature, the events of the previous book having propelled her to become a harder character who wasn't ready to trust anyone easily. Ari became an even more likeable character according to me and the level-headed way she handled the obstacles that she faced in the book made her an even more amazing character to me. Her love interest, Jackson, was a character that I was slightly iffy about. I felt like I didn't know him enough, but in this second book, I got to know him on a more emotional level. Jackson's harsh childhood came to light in Hover and it helped understand his character much better. His situation was incredibly heartbreaking, but at the same time, you get to realize what a brave character he was for having handled all of it so calmly all for the sake of his grandmother. There's nothing more I find attractive than a guy who looks after his grandparents, so Jackson's love for his Mami was touching.

Hover also provided more insight into the twisted mind of Zeus. We get to see what a crazy evil guy he is and the way he treated everyone around him ignited hatred in me for him very easily. Zeus was the kind of villain who didn't care about anything else except for himself. He was the villain that I love to hate. There were also some interesting secondary characters, Emmi and Vill, who were introduced to Hover. Their personalities were intriguing and they played a crucial role in the development of Ari's character and to the moving of the plot. Vill, with his perceptive and philosophical mind, had me fascinated by his character.

The previous book in the series was set on Earth, while Hover was based in Loge, an alien planet. So, I got to know a lot more about what the lifestyle on Loge was like and how the Logeans behaved. I liked getting to know what life on the alien planet was like and the author made sure that you knew what was going on. The plot, for the most part, dealt with Ari attempting to assassinate Zeus. I personally thought this was where the shortcoming of Hover came in. The plot progressed slowly and I missed that action-packed, fast nature of the first book. It wasn't boring by any means, but I thought it went a little too slowly until the the last couple of chapters. This is a personal preference, but the book also ended in a killer cliffhanger, and I generally don't like those because they leave me frustrated and pining for more.

I had a few issues with the romance in the first book, mainly attributing to the fact that it developed a little too fast, but in Hover, the romantic relationship developed at a nice slow pace with the characters gaining a better understanding of each other. For the most part, the relationship between Ari and Jackson was tense, due to Ari's lack of trust in Jackson. However, we slowly start to watch the two of them overcome the hurdles in their relationship and by the end I was very much pleased with its development. Melissa West has a promising writing style that captivated me in the first book and it continued to do so in this installment as well. All I know is that I'm dying for book 3 already!

While not without its flaws, Hover was a great addition to the Taking series. It had well fleshed-out characters, an intense romance and brilliant world-building, all of which made this book a great read for me.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Contains possible spoilers from the first book, Gravity.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in The Taking series, Gravity so I was more than eager to read the sequel Hover and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations and kept me flipping through the pages wanting to know more.

After the events at the end of the first book, Ari Alexander is now residing on the dying planet of Loge with the Ancients who she doesn’t trust and who don’t seem to trust her and Jackson Locke who saved her but also betrayed her in Gravity.

Loge is a planet filled with secrets and many surprises and I found myself not knowing who could be trusted or relied upon, but the true villain was psychotic Zeus who was evil personified with his power hungry and extremely cruel ways. Is it bad that I love reading about evil characters and what makes them tick? Zeus’s knowledge and power exceeds what we seem to know so I’m curious to learn more about him; I found the way he quoted word meanings quite interesting. He was like a walking dictionary.

I adored the main characters, Ari was so kick-butt awesome and selfless but she started to doubt her strength and abilities in this book and my heart broke for Jackson; what he has had to endure at the hands of his grandfather was heartbreaking. Both characters showed great development and the romance progressed at a believable pace, it definitely wasn’t at the forefront of the story but has left me wanting more.

We get to meet some truly wonderful side characters such as Jackson’s family members Mami, Emmi and Vill. Each of them was loveable and written well. We only get small snippets of some of the characters we got to know in the first book such as Gretchen, Lawrence and Ari’s parents – I thought we’d see more from Law considering his relationship to Jackson.

The plot flowed easily and focused on Ari finding a way to terminate Zeus and return the humans to their home planet. Gravity focused on Earth and finding a way to save Loge, Hover focussed more on Loge and Zeus’s plans to take over Earth and I see the third book taking us back to Ari’s home planet and dealing with the fallout of the brewing war. The cliff-hanger ending has left me completely stunned so I’m unsure in which direction it will go but I’m really intrigued.

Certain events have left me with a lot more questions which I hope will be answered in the next book, Collide which has an anticipated 2014 release date – the wait is going to be just as brutal as that ending.

Overall, Hover is written extremely well and is a great addition to The Taking series; the world-building continues to develop as do the characters. We get a perfect balance of action, romance and suspense that keeps you wanting more.

Thank-you kindly to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Hover.

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hover continues the story of one girl’s extraordinary duty to try and bring aliens and humans and allow them to live in peace with each other without the threat of war over their shoulder all the time.

After the events of Gravity, Ari Alexander is now stuck on Loge, the land of the Ancients with no way to return home to Earth or speak to her friends or family. And suddenly everyone Loge is turning to her to help their planet, which is slowly dying under a cruel and relentless ruler. With the help some new characters, as well as Jackson, Ari must overcome any and all self-doubt to save the people who can’t protect themselves.

After realising that Jackson lied to her about his true upbringing, Ari also feels that she can’t trust him and continually pushes him away, despite his reassurances that he still cares for her and was just trying to do what was best. The character development between these two was done extremely well in my opinion. Instead of the boy-meets-girl-and-have-an-instant-connection like in Gravity, Ari has to learn to trust Jackson again and attempt to break down the walls he built himself to get to the boy inside. It was wonderful to read and I loved how their relationship helped the characters grow. Jackson had a really harsh childhood with Zeus as his grandfather, and which affected him mentally and emotionally. He feels he has to hide behind the walls he built to appear strong to those around him when really, all he really wanted was his grandfather’s approval.

“I used to think Jackson hid his true thoughts to be mysterious, but now I think he does it because he's seen and experienced things worse than most people and he's afraid to let on just how jacked up he might be inside.”

This book really emphasises how Ari has changed since the circumstances in the first book. While in Gravity Ari only thought how she had to advance in her class and eventually become commander like her father, Ari in Hover knows that that dream is no longer applicable. She has had to shed any trace of childlike innocence away, hold a gun, and fire. No matter who or what stands in her way, Ari knows she will do anything to protect the people who need her. I’m really beginning to like her as a protagonist.

While it can’t compare to the Lux series, I am enjoying this series and look forward to the final book and see how Ari and Jackson overcome the evils they’re facing so that everyone can live in peace and without fear.

[Tanja (Tanychy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Apart from all the sequels that are coming out this year for me this one was one of the most expected title. I really, but really wanted to get that purple sky. But for real, when you leave me hanging with a cliffhanger it drives me crazy and when you add a new planet into all that I go insane.

Gravity, the first novel in this series, was one of those that caught my attention and like I said in my review it wasn't flawless but it was enjoyable. But for me the most interesting thing is that where Gravity had flaws Hover was flawless and vice versa. While I enjoyed the picture of destroyed Earth in Gravity I expected to get the same from Loge. Unfortunately it didn't happen, or I might have expected too much. That's the problem when you promise me a totally new planted (with purple sky) I'll expect too much. Period. At the same time the first book was really action packed, same as Hover but I have got a feeling that the plot here was static. It's hard to explain, but whit all the action in this book the plot didn't move much forward. At the other hand the relationship between Ari and Jackson here bought me. It was so sweet and intimidating that I couldn't help but enjoy. Same is for Jackson. He was an interesting character in the Gravity, but here I saw his good, as well as bad days and that helped me connect with him more. Logically, Ari changed too and they grew together and they fulfill each other perfectly.

Honestly, I can't say that I'm disappointed with this book as I'm not. It had its ups and downs, but for one thing I really expect a lot from the next book. I might have turned blind-eye to some things here and I won't do it again. It means that I want to see Loge in its beauty and ugliness, and not to mention one real fight. Melissa you owe us that.

Needless to say, I got my purple sky at the end of the day.

Rating: 3.5 stars.

NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided by publisher - Entangled. Thank you.
I'm not paid for writing this review, I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions are personal.

[Anncleire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special Review up on my blog august 6th in occasion of my "Dystopian Week". I have an ARC of this book


OMG It can't finish like this, I need "Collide" right now, OMG It's so so so good. I give it ten stars! Love Jackson <3 *_______________*



La recensione sul mio blog per l'iniziativa "Settimana della Distopia" che si protrae dal 1 all'8 agosto:
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...


I have no fear. Not of losing the ones I love or war or even of becoming something other than what I’ve always been. And I know that part of becoming okay with myself and the future, no matter where it takes me, is because of Jackson. On Earth he taught me that there was a world outside of what I had always known. Now here, on Loge, he’s taught me that even the strongest, most guarded people have a vulnerable side.



“Hover” è uno di quei libri che ho aspettato per tutto l’anno, perché davvero, appena finito “Gravity” dovevo assolutamente sapere che cosa sarebbe successo. Le attese per un nuovo libro sono strazianti, soprattutto se si tratta di uno che hai amato davvero con tutto il cuore, come in questo caso. Sono felice di aver recensito il primo volume della “The Taking” serie durante il “Mese della Distopia” e di poter recensire “Hover” durante la “Settimana della Distopia”. Quando Heather Riccio cercava blogger interessati a recensire un eARC di questo libro non ho potuto proprio dire di no, non quando “Gravity” è stato una delle rivelazioni dell’anno. E vi posso dire che ho letteralmente adora questo secondo volume.


Sulla Terra, la diciassettenne Ari Alexander le è stato insegnato di non sbirciare mai, ma se spera di sopravvivere alla vita sul suo nuovo pianeta, Loge, i suo occhi non devono mai chiudersi. Perché Zeus farà di tutto per salvare gli Ancients dal loro pianeta che sta morendo, e ha un piano.
Migliaia di umani hanno attraversato lo spazio verso Loge dopo che una neurotossina velenosa è stata rilasciata nell’atmosfera terrestre, quasi uccidendoli tutti. Cercano rifugio nella speranza di trovare una nuova vita, ma sono diventati dei meri schiavi, addestrati per portare la guerra contro il loro pianeta natale. Questo è, a meno che Ari e Jackson non li fermino. Ma su Loge, niente è quello che sembra… e non ci si può fidare di nessuno.


Ci sono vari motivi per cui ho adorato questo libro, e non so se sono in grado di scrivere una recensione decente, non dopo così poco tempo dalla fine della lettura, non dopo essermi resa conto che non solo “Hover” è straordinario, ma ha addirittura superato le aspettative che avevo su di lui. Uno di quei libri che iniziano in sordina e poi ti regalano mille emozioni, emozioni così forti e vivide che non puoi smettere di pensarci. Voglio dire una marea di cose su questo libro, ma sono certa che finirò per dimenticarmene la metà.
Innanzitutto voglio ringraziare immensamente Melissa West per avermi risposto in maniera continuativa su Twitter, a qualunque scemenza scrivessi, facendomi quasi pensare di leggere il libro insieme a lei. Avere un tale riscontro con uno scrittore è davvero un’emozione senza precedenti.
“Hover” inizia esattamente da dove “Gravity” ci aveva lasciato, Ari è su Loge e deve fare i conti con la sua guarigione, ma soprattutto deve acclimatarsi ad un nuovo paese di cui non può fidarsi di nessuno. Ari viene messa alla prova, è sempre lei che racconta la sua storia, ma in questo nuovo volume è sa sola con quello che prova e deve reagire in fretta. L’anima della leader e della stratega è sempre con lei e la porta ad essere la donna da cui tutti vanno per avere aiuto. Mentre i rapporti con Jackson si fanno tirati, il suo istinto per la sopravvivenza e tutto quello che ha sempre conosciuto la portano a scagliarsi contro Zeus, che in qualche modo non incarna solo il male, ma anche la pazzia di una guerra che si protrae da secoli. Ari è confusa, ma sa che in qualche modo deve farsi forza e sfruttare tutte le debolezze che riesce a individuare. I veri leader a volte sono soli, devono fare i conti con chi non c’è e prendere delle decisioni che non avrebbero mai creduto possibili. Mentre Ari impara a sue spese chi è e quello che deve fare, dalla narrazione esce anche il ritratto di un nuovo Jackson. E ragazzi posso assicurarvi che se lo avete amato in “Gravity” in “Hover” lo venererete. Se nel primo volume lo troviamo praticamente in incognito, che deve nascondere la sua vera natura nella quotidianità, qui lo troviamo in incognito nella stessa maniera, perché in qualche modo, per proteggersi, nasconde in una buca profondissima dentro di sé la sua reale natura. Il braccio destro di Zeus, ogni giorno deve mostrarsi un comandante, un guerriero, un uomo potente che non si lascia sconfiggere da niente, nonostante le sue reali paure e insicurezze che lo lasciano privo di stabilità, come un ramo trascinato dalla corrente. Incapace di smettere di pensare ad Ari, frenato nei suoi sentimenti dal freddo distacco della ragazza, continua a sostenerla e a proteggerla, anche se significa soccombere alla furia di Zeus.
E se la componente romantica e passionale ha un ruolo importante e senza dubbio super emozionale, che lascia il lettore incredulo e assolutamente commosso, le scene nella camera di Jackson sono le più tenere, soprattutto quando lui dorme di schiena, alla fine ciò che conta è la parte di descrizione delle abitudini degli Ancients, del loro modo di pensare, di cosa sono e cosa vogliono. I membri del popolo, gli ultimi, i deboli, quelli che alla fine ci rimettono sempre:

It didn’t seem possible that maybe there were bad and good within each group and that like with any war throughout history, the people—the everyday people—were the truly good ones and the ones to suffer the most.

“L’Asino: Il popolo utile, paziente e bastonato” come diceva Gabriele Galantara, quel popolo che si piega al volere, o meglio alla pazzia, del suo leader e ne esce virtualmente distrutto. Loge sta morendo, tutti sono in pericolo, ognuno ha il suo tornaconto personale e Ari si fa portavoce del bisogno di sopravvivere oltre un governo centrale incapace di accogliere i reali bisogni dei suoi cittadini.
Ci sono tre nuovi personaggi: Vill, Mami e Emmy, più legati di quello che si potrebbe immaginare all’inizio, che fanno la differenza nella lotta di Ari e la sosterranno come potranno. Riappaiono anche nostre vecchie conoscenze il padre di Ari, Low e Gretchen ma le cose non sono più come prima, qualcosa decisamente non quadra.
Tra boschi che nascondono segreti, svelamenti che non avreste mai creduto Ari e Jackson dovranno fare i conti con il loro rapporto e su cosa è necessario fare. E la mia scena preferita rimane sempre la seconda sul ponte.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una statuetta di legno.

In un mix straordinario che unisce il puro sci-fi ad atmosfere distopiche, senza rinunciare alla romance più romantica e delicata, le lotte e le torture, segreti inimmaginabili “Hover” vi conquisterà dalla prima pagina e non sarete in grado di staccarvene. E il finale, al cardiopalma, vi lascerà con la voglia di averne ancora, ancora e ancora.
Mentre io aspetto buona buona “Collide” il terzo volume della saga, voi attendete il 13 agosto e procuratevi questo libro, ve lo prometto non ve ne pentirete!


Ringrazio immensamente Heather Riccio e Melissa West per avermi concesso la straordinaria opportunità di leggere in anteprima “Hover” in cambio della mia onesta opinione!

[Kavita♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY SH*T! WHAT IS GOING ON!?
That cliffhanger..

I give this book 5 stars! Just like the first book I enjoyed it. I liked this book just a bit more.
I love how we got to see more about loge and I love the new characters.
And Ari and Jackson are just adorable.

I’m heading of the read the last book in this series. I NEED ANSWERS.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hover is the sequel to the very promising Gravity, West's fabulous Ya science fiction series. It's a short and fast read, set on the planet Loge after the big showdown on Earth at the end of Gravity. Ari is still completing her change into an Ancient and she has to find a place in the Ancient society. But this is not the paradise, people thought it might be. Because there's still Zeus who follows his own plans which includes the poor humans who've made it to Loge and the whole of humanity which is still on Earth.

Ari, being the born leader, doesn't seem to have big problems to be alone an another planet. Sure, she talks about missing her parents and feeling awkward in a new, strange surrounding but as a reader I couldn't feel any real pain or misery. Even though that felt a bit weird, I just accepted it as a sign of her personal strength. Of course, she needs to figure out how to stop Zeus now. But that's not easy as she realizes how big his influence and how powerful his regime on Loge are.

The most interesting plotline in the novel is her relationship to Jackson. She thought she knew him on Earth but it's not like he could be himself there. Now on Logan, she not only has to deal with his betrayal of her trust but with his past and a Jackson who is not the person she thought he was. They have to work on their relationship if there's even anything left of it. And I like the slow way, Ari opens her eyes, stops thinking only about her own needs and starts to truly see things. She has a lot of doubts in herself whether she really is as strong as everybody sees her. But that seems ridiculous considering that she's never acted anything but strong so far.

All the human characters that were introduced in the first book, play a rather minor one in this sequel. But we're introduced to a few other interesting ones: Emmy the healer and her grandson Vill who is Jackson's (and now Ari's) roommate.

But there was one huge disappointment for me in this book. I was so excited to read the sequel because it would take me to another planet! But Loge was completely missing any special alien atmosphere. Yeah, they clothe differently and eat different food. But hey, you can travel to another country to experience that. It didn't feel any different than being on Earth, it was completely missing the atmosphere. I had hoped for much more, sorry.

Besides being disappointed, I also kind of got angry towards the ending. This book is so short and in the first 70% next to nothing really happens. And then all out of sudden the big action starts, people start acting, some even against their former beliefs, people trust Ari with so much and there's no explanation whatsoever for this trust. There hasn't been any development up to this moment. And the ending... well don't let me get started. I don't mind cliffhangers, but this ending can't even be called a cliffhanger. It just ends in the middle of the book which is outrageous!

The Taking is a great series, combining sci fi elements with the alien trope and a wonderful love story. But it's lacking in so many details that it just can't be as amazing as other series in this genre. It still needs more development, more background, more atmosphere and definitely lots of more pages for that.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to get a copy of Hover after having read Gravity when it first came out. I love the concept of a possible alien invasion and travelling back and forth between worlds. So, when I knew that at least some of Hover would take place on another world, I was even more excited!

I was a little surprised when I didn't immediately fall in love with the book. That's not to say I wanted to put it down, because I didn't. In fact, I was reading another book prior to this, and put that one on hold to finish Hover. Still, there were quite a few issues I had with Hover despite all the things I loved about it. So, this review is different from what I usually do, in that I will discuss all the good and bad separately.

Things I liked:
I loved Ari and Jackson's characters in Hover. There was a lot of confusion on the part of Ari and tons of trust issues, which I felt were warranted given the events of Gravity. It was interesting to see the relationship develop over time again, only this time it's different from the first time. There's a lot of getting to know characters again, but on a deeper and more mature level.

I also really liked the setting of Loge, and some of the world building that West did. Along with that is the plot, which moved pretty quickly because the stakes were so high. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen and started to feel good about things, West through in a little twist. I liked that they were small, because they weren't so obvious.

Things I didn't like:
I feel like there should have just MORE of everything. Even though I liked the setting of Loge, it was almost secondary to some of the action. I didn't really get a feel for what was going on or what things looked like, even. There were new characters introduced, but I wasn't really able to get to know them, even Vill, who shows up the most of the new characters. Madison shows up, and I still have no idea what happened to her or what role she is supposed to play.

And, I was confused a lot, which made me ask questions, which means I wasn't fully engrossed in the story. For example: Why is there a port when the Ancients get to earth through the Taking tress? What is the port for? Isn't it redundant? Why is Ari even allowed to roam free? Can't Zeus get information from her with his serums and torture? (There were A LOT more questions, but they would contain spoilers, so I won't include them in the review.) Basically, there was just a lot that didn't make sense. It all seemed too convenient or just not explained at all.

Overall:
I liked Hover. I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it. I certainly wanted to keep reading it. The characters were great, and I mainly loved the relationship over anything else. But things just didn't add up for me. If you've liked Gravity, you'll probably like Hover, too. But I definitely didn't think it was as good as Gravity.


Source: The ARC of this title was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Gravity and you MUST read Gravity before reading this. You cannot just jump in and hope to catch up. It had been a while since I read Gravity and even I needed the refresher that the author gives when starting the book. It took me a little bit for me to get my bearings and to get back into the state of mind since Hover starts right where Gravity left off.

I don't want to give too much away in my review but all I can say is that although this story isn't as gruesome as the last, it still has a high level of suspense to it with a couple of shocking moments. Ari and Jackson are trying to beat the clock and keep a full blown war between the aliens and the humans from happening. New characters are introduced and are vital components to the story while we get glimpses from the secondary characters from the first book. So with everything that's taking place, and the new characters that are thrown into the mix, there is a lot going on. I was never bored with the story of felt like the story lagged. The pacing of the story was brilliant.

I also like that we get a better look at Jackson who is still a mystery in this book. You start to peel back the layers that makes up his character. In the first book you think he's this confident person, but it isn't until you see him in his own element that you realize that it's all just a mask that he wears. He's really just a hurt, panicked, broken boy who's been beaten down like a stray dog all of his life. So much is expected from him and so much is taken from him that he wears this mask to not only protect himself but protect the ones he loves.

Will I continue with the series? Definitely. Melissa has a great voice when it comes to telling a story. She doesn't add drama where drama isn't needed just to keep the story interesting. However, be warned, she is a master at leaving you on the edge of your seat the entire time... even until the very last word.

[Tammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prospect of finding out what the ancient's planet was like was one thing that drove me to read Hover, but honestly I was disappointed. It was a whole lot like Earth. In fact there wasn't much difference at all. This book was also somewhat frustrating. Mainly because I felt Ari was too headstrong and never thought things through before she acted. Her mind is like an open book to the ancients and I wondered why she wouldn't have worked a whole lot harder at blocking them from her thoughts. Also, I wondered what happened to her RES ability of feeling emotions. It was really strong in the beginning and it was explained that that happened at first, but then they seemed to just disappear altogether. I also couldn't understand why the person that betrayed them helped her in the first place. And be warned, the ending is a huge cliffhanger. You may not want to read this until the third book is out. So overall I liked it ok, but was disappointed in some ways.

[Kinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just woke up one day and thought to myself: Hey, have I finished that book about some alien invasion and hot alien dude? So I looked for the book and have been busy since then reading it.

It's action packed. Ari has her hands full of a new planet, rebellion talks, torture. Her mind filled with plans, ideas, strategies. Her heart...pining after Jackson.

I loved this one. Just as much as I remember loving the first one. There are some stuff from the previous books mentioned here and there so I didn't have to go back and do a quick re-read.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book again, so much happened, and I can't wait to see how things end!

*First Read August 11th, 2013*
Great book, really enjoyed it, and that ending? More heart-breaking cliffhanger then Gravity!

[Tez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, and ends on a cliffhanger. Why is a teenager leading a rebellion? Also, Ari gains a magical healing ability. The book was okay to read, but the more I think about it the more I didn't enjoy it.

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geez Louis

Thats all I have to say

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like Hover wasn't quite as good as Gravity, the first book in this series, but only by a little bit. I still read this book pretty quickly and while I was interested enough to keep reading, I also wasn’t left feeling completely satisfied. I felt like I wanted a little bit more from this book, though I don’t exactly know what that was.

It also felt to me like there wasn’t actually a whole lot of plot happening. There was lots of new information learned and quite a lot of planning and strategising without actually seeing any results. So much of this book was all about trying to kill Zeus and failing each and every time. That was disappointing because I hated Zeus so much and I just wanted him dead already.

Another thing that bothered me was that this book took place entirely on Loge aside from a few minor communications with Earth. That meant we didn't get to find out how things were on Earth and I wanted to know what was happening there as well as what was happening on Loge.

What I did really like was the character growth we saw in Ari in this book. She had so many challenges to overcome and she was almost an entirely different character by the end of the book.

What I wasn't such a fan of was Jackson for most of this book. He didn’t seem to have changed at all and was the same secretive jerk from the first book. But I loved that Ari was finally able to get through to him and that they got their special romantic moment. Before psychopathic Zeus ruined things.

I thought the romance was handled very well in this book. It seemed to be a long time coming, but I loved that it wasn't rushed and it didn't happen until the characters were emotionally ready.

I did not like that plot twist at the end however. I wasn't too keen on Law taking on the role of the upcoming next President. There was just a weird vibe from him throughout the whole book and I just never really warmed up to him, even in book one. And then there was him at the end in that cliff hanger.

Overall though, it was a pretty good read and a decent enough sequel to the first book. Despite it being a little lacking in plot, it still felt like a pretty fast paced read. I’m really not a fan of cliff hanger endings, but at least I have the third book to go onto immediately after.

[What Makes Patri · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Hover (The Taking #2) by Melissa West

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About The Book:

Ari Alexander is now in a new world. Loge is nothing like Earth. With a heartless and brutal leader who seems to be everywhere, Ari is more in danger than she was in Earth. And knowing that the person she loved betrayed her, is unbearable.
Living with Jackson, not knowing If she can trust him, and trying to survive Zeus' tortures, Ari finds herself in the middle of another mission. And this time is not only to save humans, but logers as well. Because in Loge, not everything is what Ari thought it would be or what at first sight seems.
When all they need is a spark to start a rebellion, Ari's willing to provide a bonfire to safe the people she loves and the ones that are in Zeus' power.

Review:

Before starting our review, we have to thank Entangled Publishing for offering this wonderful opportunity. Because we not only could read more about Ari before the release of the book, but we got a sneak peak in Melissa West's world.
Book Addicts, there's only one word to define this book: wow. This story is not just amazing, wonderful and brilliant, is something beyond that. If you loved the first book, Gravity, you're going to feel the pull stronger this time. Because this story is not about surviving anymore, this new story is about surviving in a new, strange and dangerous world while trying to ignite a rebellion.
Following the story that left is with an ache in our hearts, Melissa West keeps the story of Ari Alexander when she arrives at Loge. Not able to survive anymore in Earth after humans releasing a dangerous neurotoxin to all humans who had been healed by the Ancients, Ari finds herself lonely and lost for the first time.
We loved how Jackson, in the first book, described Loge, but now, we actually have a sneak peak about this new world, its culture and how the Ancients truly are. Because if one thing we have learned after reading this book is that nothing is what it seems to be at first.
In this second book, Ari is struggling between trusting Jackson or not. After not telling her he's actually Jackson Castillo, she's not willing to give her heart and trust again like nothing happened before. First, she'll learn about him. We understand her behavior. She's in a new world, with people that she knows hate her and with the boy that betray her. Or so she thinks. Is a rational behavior to not trust the boy, although we were dying every single moment that they were not together. If you thought Ari was mature and determined, in this book is even more mature and determined. She learns a lot in Loge and finds friendships among the Logers. It's really nice to get to know this new Ari, survival/determined-to-kill-Zeus type. It bring the action that we were hoping to see in this book.
As for Jackson, what can we say? We love him. We loved him in Earth even before reading about the betrayal, so what's not to like to the Loge version? Well, at first he acts a little bit distant and it's shown to have different personalities: one with Ari, another in the RES training facilities and another when he's afraid of Mami. And who's Mami? Jackson's grandmother. Sweet, right?
It's true that the boy has issues to work out, but it's obvious that Ari is the solution. She's the key to soothe his worries and they do a great team together. It'd be a shame to not let them be together, not only emotionally speaking.
We also meet new characters like Vill, Jackson's friend and housemate, Mami, Jackson's grandmother or Emmy, a healer from Loge who really helps Ari. We get a glimpse of other characters that you may know from the first book, like Gretchen, who's devastated by Ari's absence and Law, who has changed A LOT! (We officially hate him).
We have live in Earth with Ari's story and now is the turn of Jackson's world from Ari's point of view. With great descriptions, incredible characters and a breathtaking new plot, we are transported to Loge where people are afraid of their leader, who has become insatiable of power. The need of survival is intensified and the only way Ari can succeed and safe them all is by getting help from the logers. And what better option that starting a rebellion?
The end was even more breathtaking than the first book. To a heart attack level of action, I-can't-believe-this-just-happened and OMG. Yes, that's the only way of explaining the end. We didn't see it coming and were as shocked as the main character. I'm officially dying to read the third book after this shocking end.
Overall, Hover brings the best of the survival instinct of The Hunger Games and the incredible and unpredictable world of Divergent. Why we say this? Because while you read the book you can feel and almost touch the need of staying alive to safe the innocent people, in a new, unknown world and with the repression of an evil leader.
On the other hand, you read the anxiety of the main character of trying to safe everyone even if it means getting herself killed. We also see some kind of tortures that the Divergent fans may recognize.
If you are a fan of The Hunger Games and Divergent, this is a must read book.With a touch of extraterrestrial sci-fi, Ms. West brings the survival and the rebellion to another level, without losing the Hover nature, with the unique writing style only Melissa West could provide to this story, and remaining true to the main character's feelings: her need to save the world and Jackson.
This would be a more than five gorjuss dolls, but our ranking ends in five. So with a well deserved five gorjuss dolls, we say to you, Book Addicts, that is not a read to miss. And If you have not had the change to start this shocking and awesome series, what are you waiting for? Let the Ancients enter your home. And remember, once's they have been in your life, don't ever peek.

Dream Cast:



Crystal Reed as Ari
Chris Zylka as Jackson

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a sequel!!! I am seriously floored right now! I enjoyed the first book as you saw above, but I LOVED this second one! It has everything I could ever want- romance, action, betrayal, and it's a SCI-FI! Woooo! I'm so glad I read these back to back- but... holy cliffhanger on this one! I can't believe I have to wait for Book 3! *pouts* I did NOT see that twist coming... well, I was suspicious, but never did I think that ending would actually happen!


The book picks up right where Gravity left off, only this time we find Ari on Loge. I was definitely curious about the Ancients' home world, since we only learned bits and pieces about it in the last book. I loved being in this new setting and seeing the type of people the Ancients actually were! (They surprised the heck out of me that's for sure! Let's just say they are not as repressed of a people as I thought under Zeus's leadership...)


Ari is healing from the neurotoxins that were released on Earth, designated to kill the Ancients and is dealing with her feelings concerning Jackson. She is unsure of him, feeling betrayed by his omission of important information, and now she is on a planet by herself with no allies to turn to. Where most people would be terrified into a stupor, Ari is as fierce and strong as ever. Then again- Ari has been raised and bred to be the next Commander. Her father has trained her to be the girl she needs to be, and while Ari may have seen that as harsh- she does end up realizing he did it for her own good. That's not to say Ari is a machine- she is human and she still has feelings. She has such compassion for others and will do whatever it takes to keep her loved ones safe from Zeus's growing threat.


Zeus. UGH. Talk about EVIL. West did a great job creating such a villain- even his mannerisms scream 'DANGER!' He is ruthless and does not hesitate in putting Ari through torture to find out what he needs. So what do you do with the big bad? Make plans to eliminate him of course! Easier said than done! Zeus is no idiot. He is cunning, as well as intuitive. This will be no easy task for Ari. Thankfully, Jackson IS on her side and will do whatever is necessary to assist her- even betraying his grandfather. Yeah, didn't see THAT coming!


As much as Ari tries to push Jackson away, she can't help but start to see how different he is than on Earth. Here, he is seen as a leader and yet remains protective of her, knowing what that could do for his reputation. I love that Ari isn't so quick to jump back in with him. He has to earn her trust back and the only way to do that is through his actions. We see so many different sides to Jackson in this book and it made me love him so much more than I already did. He is strong and determined, but there is a vulnerability to him that breaks my heart. His concern for his grandmother (Zeus's wife) is absolutely touching- he knows that she won't leave him and Zeus treats her horribly. He has to assume so many different personas- one minute he goes from being a hard, cold, unfeeling leader to a guy who has to push aside his feelings for the girl he loves because she just wants friendship. It's terribly frustrating for him and I loved that we got to see the many different layers of Jackson. Once Ari realizes the type of man he actually is and all the responsibilities he carries and the internal battles he wages to protect those he loves, it is then she starts to let him back into her heart again.


"I pushed Jackson away, yet he continues to stand beside me, forever thinking I am better than I am, more capable than I am- stronger than I am. Some may think you choose to have feelings for another due to what you see in that person, their strengths and weaknesses. But I think it's also in how that person sees you. And Jackson Castello, right or wrong, sees me, really sees me. How can I push that away? How can I deny that while I see him as mysterious and difficult, I also see him as kind and generous and so much braver than he realizes? He isn't perfect. He is so far from perfect. But maybe it isn't about him being perfect... maybe it's about him being perfect for me."


Their relationship progressed perfectly, and literally (at 91% to be exact) had me gasping for breath. Swooooooon!


While most of our time is spent in Loge, Ari does have some communication with her friends and family on Earth. However, every time they communicated, I felt more and more uneasy about what was to come. Things are happening down on Earth that Ari is not privy to, and things are definitely not as they seem. Her friends Law and Gretchen, who she has known for years, are acting differently and she can't pinpoint what is going on. Is it just the stress over the impending war or is there something more going on?


Some new characters are introduced in this novel that are quite significant. Emmy and Vill, being two of my favorites. Emmy is the Healer assigned to help Ari and yet she is so much more than meets the eye. When Ari thought she had no allies here, she couldn't have been more wrong. Emmy is proof of that- after building a rapport with Ari, Emmy trusts her enough to confide in her that Loge is dying and the Ancients need a new place to live. And Emmy thinks Ari will be the one to help lead them. Talk about responsibility! Vill, is actually Emmy's grandson as well as Jackson's roommate. He does not play a huge role in the book, but he offers Ari some sound advice- not just about Jackson, but also about her. He is a true friend to both of them and I hope we get to see him again in the next book!


"You are a leader, Ari. You were born a leader and you will die a leader. It is who you are. Everyone who meets you knows it. And you know it, even if you question it. You react like a leader, thinking ahead of time so you know your actions are properly directed."

...



"You'll find yourself again. Before you know it, you will be leading again. But you first need to see Jackson, really see him, for who he is, instead of what you thought he was or who you now believe him to be."


As I said, there is a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book, Collide, to find out what happens next for Ari, Jackson, and both the Ancients and humans!

*Received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in The Taking series. It picks up right where the first one left off, which is exactly what it was supposed to do after the major cliffhanger the first book ended on. And while the story is fast-paced and exciting, sometimes I wanted to throw this book out the window. Why does Ari need to be such a stereotypical teenage female character? One sentence she's trying to figure out why she's pushing Jackson away and the next minute she's literally yelling at him for no reason ughhh over and over and over. Once you get past that, there's some cool Jedi mind tricks and superpowers in this book. Oh and it also ends in a major cliffhanger so thank God book three is out...I'm already in chapter 3 LOL

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hover is book two of The Taking series and brings you back into the world of Ari and Jackson. If you recall, book one left off with thousands of humans being forced to cross over to Loge because of the poisonous neurotoxin that was released. The crossover was supposed to become but it turns out, they aren’t much better off on Loge as Zeus has plans for everyone, including Ari and Jackson.

Through conversations with her father and those now in power on Earth, Ari and Jackson have found out that Zeus is planning something horrible and they need Ari to step up to the plate try to kill him…that’s right – she is supposed to kill him. No pressure there…considering as an Ancient he is able to sense what she is feeling and thinking. I’m not going to reveal anything here but she definitely has her work cut out for her.

Ari is adapting to the newness of realizing she is part Ancient and what that means. On top of that, she has to do this in a world that seems somewhat foreign. She is also not really sure she can trust Jackson as he is not the boy she knew on Earth. It is definitely true that there is a lot she doesn’t know about Jackson but I thought that as Ari learned more about who he is on Loge, she came to realize he really was more than just “the boy” she knew on Earth. He carried a lot of weight on his shoulders and seeing Ari learn about all the things he had to deal with and manage was important because it gave her a different perspective of who he really is.

At the same time, she is also trying to understand what she is dealing with in Zeus. He is definitely an evil guy and really willing to do anything that will benefit him…anything. All in all, I can honestly say Zeus is one of those characters that make you want to climb in the book and beat the crap out of them. The things he did made me ragey and I really hoped that Ari was going to be successful in her mission.



Jackson remains as swoony as ever. Yes, he hasn’t always told Ari everything but he had his reasons. Ari wouldn’t be who she is if she just automatically forgave him but I am happy that she eventually gets past her issues. Jackson is doing what he can to help and protect Ari while on Loge. He knows that Zeus has his eyes on her and feels threatened by her and he does what he can to offer her some protection. He clearly loves Ari and is patiently waiting for her to get over her anger. Also, All I have to say is thank you for the shower scene Ms. West….definitely one of my favorites.

I know I mentioned the word swoony before…here are some of my favorite lines:

He glances up sideways, his hair once again shadowing his eyes. “What can I say? For me, it has always been you…”

Still my first thought every day for the rest of my life…will be you.”



This book introduced us to some new characters in Emmy, Vill, and Mami who in my opinion were great additions to the story. They all added some great layers to the story as well as helped reveal a bit about Jackson. I missed Gretchen and Law in this one - there were some glimpses of both and based on the ending I have a lot of questions as to what the heck has been happening on Earth as well as with these two.

Similar to book one, this book ends with a cliffhanger so if your heart can’t take it, you may want to hold off until book three is complete. If it doesn’t bother you so much, definitely go out and get this one and if you haven’t started this series, get moving on Gravity so that you can jump right into Hover once you finish as this comes out on August 13th. This series is a great mix of action and romance with a little bit of mystery. If you like the science fiction and dystopian genres you will definitely enjoy this series.

Thank you to the author and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

This review can be found on my blog Fic Fare.

[diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eARC copy was provided to read and review.

After Gravity left its readers with a huge cliffhanger, I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Hover. But I just knew that this book would be well worth the wait and even better than the first.

After the recent events of Gravity, Ari will find herself in difficult and conflicting situations – torn between her duty to the humans as their next commander and her undeniable feelings for Jackson, Ari will have to learn to make the hardest decisions all on her own and to live with their consequences.
I love how Ari’s strength and resolve remains intact even with all that is happening around her. She is surrounded by people she doesn’t fully trust but are inexplicably drawn to her while her family’s condition and safety is all but known to her. Ari is one of the female book protagonists I greatly admire. She is a strong-willed character and she feels very real. She’s always willing to risk her own life to save the people around her – even those she barely knows and trusts. Not to mention, her sense of humor is never lost even in the face of danger.

I love how action-packed and exciting Hover is in every page turned. It has a lot of jaw-dropping moments that will definitely keep you up reading all night.
I have to say, I especially liked how Ari and Jackson’s romance developed in this one. Although they are on opposite sides of an impending war, their feelings for each other are very evident in their actions. Also, this book presents different sides to Jackson that will surely make you change your perceptions about him but would make you swoon for him more. We see Jackson as the grandson of Zeus who is all parts a fighter with a tough exterior and a future leader everyone would respect and fear. Then we see vulnerable, exposed Jackson who wants nothing more than to protect his family. These moments will definitely catch you by surprise and make you hurt and feel defeated as Jackson feels. He can be very protective of the people he loves and he’ll be ready to fight and stand up for them.

There are a lot of admirable characters in Hover that are worth knowing and are intriguing to read. The new characters introduced are very diverse and mysterious – one would second-guess himself/herself who the real good guys are and who are not. They’re well-written and developed and one can see every ounce of thought put into writing them. And as far as evil villains go, Zeus is on the top of the list. He's a very manipulative, unpredictable character. He's ruthless and without compassion. I wonder though if we still aren't given the whole story about Zeus? 'Cause no matter how evil a character he is, there must have been some terrible reason why he's like the man he is today. We are given glimpses of some unknown, yet to be shown side to Zeus in the book and I'm guessing there's more we don't know.
Another thing I love about the book, we finally get to see and live in the world of Loge. It was vividly and clearly described and I could just imagine what it would feel like to live in such a place – it gives an impression of home and a prison. Melissa West created a unique, thought-provoking world that stands out among the other dystopian books.

I recommend that you read this book after reading Gravity. Although the author provides a very in-depth, concise look at the past events, it would feel very different and all the more exciting if you read the first book before indulging yourself in this one.
Hover is a definite must-read sequel for Gravity. Be warned though – HUGE cliffhanger coming your way.




“Fear is what makes us human, Ari,” she had said. “It grounds us, helps us make smarter decisions. Never feel inadequate for feeling fear. It’s the most natural thing in the world, and knowing that it is natural is what will give you the strength to overcome it.”

[Jennifer]

So I was so excited to read this...also so nervous. Gravity was an awesomely amazing book and the ending, well let’s just say whoa. I’ve been waiting for Hover for a while and yes it made me nervous to pick it up but I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. The book absolutely played puppeteer with my heart strings but that’s because I am so heavily invested in the characters. This is one of those series that I think doesn’t get enough love. Everyone should read it! I don’t think you have to be a sci-fi lover either.

Jackson, oh Jackson. I had a feeling about who he was from the beginning so I could never be mad at him. Plus despite everything you can tell how sweet Jackson really is. Plus I love the way he is with Ari, even if she is mad at him and trying to push him away. He is always standing beside her and being support. He has a lot of things that are revealed about him in this book. He has always been a guy that keeps his cards close to his chest but we see some cracks. Things he doesn’t want Ari to know to protect her. Some of it is horrid and some of it just makes you love him even more. Seriously can you tell I love to drool over Jackson. Total book boyfriend.

Ari is such a tough cookie but is not always perfect. She still had a tendency to act before thinking but we really start to see her realize this and try to be more reserved. She knows her weaknesses and is always trying to improve them. I really like her as the main character and find her easy to connect to. Although I do get frustrated with her where Jackson is concerned but you know, she feels a little betrayed. She is pretty amazing in this book I have to say.

Zeus is one scary dude. Which is probably why he is named Zeus. I love how much detail is put into his villainy ways. Down to the way he treats and manipulates people. When Jackson describes how he will talk towards the window so you can’t see his face, I thought it was such a great detail.. I mean Melissa really points out to us not only his villainous but his intelligence. That this isn’t some guy you just walk in and throw him out the window and say, hooray the world is saved! It’s a lot more complex than that. Zeus is more complex than that, there might have once been a person there but he has long been corroded by power.

We get a whole new squad of characters as the book takes place on Loge. Vil is one of my absolute favorite additions. He’s got this terrific intelligent mind that never stops turning. So he uses outs like creating sculptures and doing awesome techie things. He also has wisdom beyond his years. I also like Mami, Emmy and Madison a lot too. Emmy at first kind of comes off as someone I wasn’t going to like but I finally embraced her. We also see appearances from some characters from the other books. Like Law and Ari’s dad...seriously though what is up with Law? I’m not going to say more.

The plot kept me intrigued the entire time, since we on a new planet it was almost like having a first book in a second book. It’s a whole different place to learn about, which it’s easy to see the two are going to collide in book 3. I thought that is well thought out and planned. Of course this book was a little more stressful. We are talking about a buildup to war here. Wow and let me tell you about the ending....well I can’t but wow. Melissa has me once again on the edge of my seat demanding that book 3 be in my mailbox tomorrow.
This series continues to be one of my favorites and I really hope you pick it up if you haven’t already.