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Terra Nova
They survived the wilds of Terra Firma. But the fight for survival isn’t over yet.
Three years after the events of Terra Firma, Phoenix, Sev, and Pearla are thrust into a new battle—one that will test them in ways they never imagined.
But time is running out.
With enemies closing in and impossible choices ahead, the family must once again fight for their future: this time, against a fate far worse than those on Terra Firma.
Will they find their way home, or will they be lost to the stars forever?
Three years after the events of Terra Firma, Phoenix, Sev, and Pearla are thrust into a new battle—one that will test them in ways they never imagined.
But time is running out.
With enemies closing in and impossible choices ahead, the family must once again fight for their future: this time, against a fate far worse than those on Terra Firma.
Will they find their way home, or will they be lost to the stars forever?
231 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2025
16 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Jessahme Wren
5 books26 followersJessahme Wren is an award-winning writer of evocative short stories, poems and novels. With a passion for storytelling, she has published multiple works that explore the depth of human emotion and the complexities of life. Jessahme lives in the scenic heart of Southwest Alabama, where she finds inspiration in the natural world and the people around her. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and pets, as well as exploring new places through travel.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 19, 2025
I loved this book. It was clean but full of action and things to think about.
Sev and her adopted father made a trip to another planet previously. Unbeknownst to them, the father(phoenix) was infected with a bad infection that remained dormant until the present. Now he is on another planet known to heal many people, but not a great outcome predicted for Phoenix. Sev returns to their home planet and heads back to the planet, Terra Firma, that infected the father. She is attempting to collect some spores for the doctor to make a serum. When she arrives the planet is nothing the same. I will leave it here, I can’t give it all away.
Really enjoyed this did I mention that?
I just bought the first book in the series and will read in a month or so. I want to know what happened first. I saw an author comment that book 3 is coming too. Definitely were a few loose ends.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my honest review.
Sev and her adopted father made a trip to another planet previously. Unbeknownst to them, the father(phoenix) was infected with a bad infection that remained dormant until the present. Now he is on another planet known to heal many people, but not a great outcome predicted for Phoenix. Sev returns to their home planet and heads back to the planet, Terra Firma, that infected the father. She is attempting to collect some spores for the doctor to make a serum. When she arrives the planet is nothing the same. I will leave it here, I can’t give it all away.
Really enjoyed this did I mention that?
I just bought the first book in the series and will read in a month or so. I want to know what happened first. I saw an author comment that book 3 is coming too. Definitely were a few loose ends.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my honest review.
May 28, 2025
We follow Sev who is now 16, as she races to search for an ingredient for a cure to save her father Phoenix. Soren, Phoenix’s doctor, is jailed for telling Sev what will actually save Phoenix.
I loved to see Sev grow and become self sufficient, but I was also so nervous about Sev losing Phoenix. I eagerly anticipated this book, and it definitely did not disappoint……however, I need to know what happened to Soren! Please tell me there’s another book!
I loved to see Sev grow and become self sufficient, but I was also so nervous about Sev losing Phoenix. I eagerly anticipated this book, and it definitely did not disappoint……however, I need to know what happened to Soren! Please tell me there’s another book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2025
Great book
I'd love to see another book about this group of people... Maybe about Sev and Siren or Phoenix and the family.
I'd love to see another book about this group of people... Maybe about Sev and Siren or Phoenix and the family.
August 27, 2025
** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review **
This is book 2 in the Terra series. Sev is 16 and Phoenix, Pearla, and Sev have grown into a perfect family on the beaches of Dobani.
💛 What I Loved 💛
- Learning more about Phoenix & his back story.
- Seeing Sev grow up into an accomplished young woman.
- A contrasting ice planet.
- Return to Terra Nova and learning more about the history & life on the toxic jungle planet.
🏆 Best Part 🏆
This is such a FEEL GOOD YA series that gives you all the warm & fuzzy feelings of found family and building a community against all odds.
🧐 What I Think It Needed 🧐
- Time moves too quickly. Sev was given 20 minutes with Soren and the 20 minutes passed in one paragraph with only 2 lines of dialogue. I would have loved to see more of a conversation and building of a relationship between the two people responsible for saving Phoenix's life. Time again moves too quickly from Phoenix is DYING to poof next chapter he's better and going home soon.
- Better balance of danger vs feel good content. I LOVED learning more about Terra Nova but wished there had been MORE. Same for Phoenix's background & past... it needed MORE. There's so many feel good moments in this story that it drowns out the brief moments of danger and peril.
🚫 My Least Favorite Part 🚫
WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO SOREN??
‼️ Overall ‼️
I think this is a treat for young readers just stepping into more suspenseful fiction. Excellent found family and coming of age trope usage. Immersive world building. Unique and loveable characters.
Looking forward to reading more from this author!
This is book 2 in the Terra series. Sev is 16 and Phoenix, Pearla, and Sev have grown into a perfect family on the beaches of Dobani.
💛 What I Loved 💛
- Learning more about Phoenix & his back story.
- Seeing Sev grow up into an accomplished young woman.
- A contrasting ice planet.
- Return to Terra Nova and learning more about the history & life on the toxic jungle planet.
🏆 Best Part 🏆
This is such a FEEL GOOD YA series that gives you all the warm & fuzzy feelings of found family and building a community against all odds.
🧐 What I Think It Needed 🧐
- Time moves too quickly. Sev was given 20 minutes with Soren and the 20 minutes passed in one paragraph with only 2 lines of dialogue. I would have loved to see more of a conversation and building of a relationship between the two people responsible for saving Phoenix's life. Time again moves too quickly from Phoenix is DYING to poof next chapter he's better and going home soon.
- Better balance of danger vs feel good content. I LOVED learning more about Terra Nova but wished there had been MORE. Same for Phoenix's background & past... it needed MORE. There's so many feel good moments in this story that it drowns out the brief moments of danger and peril.
🚫 My Least Favorite Part 🚫
WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO SOREN??
‼️ Overall ‼️
I think this is a treat for young readers just stepping into more suspenseful fiction. Excellent found family and coming of age trope usage. Immersive world building. Unique and loveable characters.
Looking forward to reading more from this author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2025
the best YA sci-fi read ive read in a long while. this book was packed with so much emotion and heart, it genuinely made me emotional. ALL of the characters, including the side ones, had so much depth to them, i genuinely loved getting to know them all. while i adored Phoenix and Pearla’s relationship, the connection and love between Sev and Phoenix was my favorite. they have such a special bond, it was so beautiful to watch it grow even stronger throughout the story. Sev is such an incredible main character, she’s been through so much hardship, yet her heart is still so pure. she’s truly an inspiring character; i cannot wait to watch her grow and blossom even more. the same can be said for Phoenix as well. the flashbacks into his past were so emotional and heartbreaking. i loved them though, and i so enjoyed how they allowed us readers to get to know him on a deeper level. and Soren…oh Soren 😍 i simply adore him. Jessahme, your storytelling is simply beautiful. i cannot recommend this one enough to those who enjoy sci-fi and YA reads. Terra Nova is available NOW!
August 25, 2025
Terra Nova (Terra, #2)
by Jessahme Wren
After all the adventures they had the daughter and father have to face the repercussions of there adventures. The book has great world building. The space open and unknown in a galaxy with different worlds and adventures. The book shows the nature of human relationships and how love can overcome the greatest of problems.
by Jessahme Wren
After all the adventures they had the daughter and father have to face the repercussions of there adventures. The book has great world building. The space open and unknown in a galaxy with different worlds and adventures. The book shows the nature of human relationships and how love can overcome the greatest of problems.
June 26, 2025
Jessahme Wren’s TERRA NOVA is a beautifully imagined and emotionally charged story about a father and daughter navigating life across planets, love, grief, and the sheer grit it takes to survive the unknown. At its core, it’s a tale of devotion. Sev, a whip-smart teen growing into herself, and her father, Phoenix, a loving and resilient man with a painful past, live on a world called Dobani. Their peaceful life is upended when Phoenix becomes gravely ill, and Sev must make an impossible decision to try and save him. What follows is a journey across stars to the snowy, distant planet of Ocarro, where medicine is cutting-edge but answers are scarce. Alongside them is Pearla, Phoenix’s partner, and Sev’s steadying force, as they face medical mysteries, bureaucratic red tape, and the shadows of old trauma.
Wren writes with an intensity that sneaks up on you. Her pacing is smooth and measured, letting the emotion build naturally. The world-building is sharp without being showy. Every planet feels lived in, not just imagined. What stood out most to me was the tenderness between Sev and Phoenix. Their relationship isn’t perfect, but it’s thick with love and care. Wren doesn’t rush the drama or the science fiction, she lets her characters breathe. And in those breaths, the humanity shines. I found myself rooting for Sev not because she was heroic in the usual way, but because she felt real. Smart, a little stubborn, and so brave.
The emotional punches land hard. Watching Phoenix deteriorate is gutting, especially because he’s portrayed so vividly in the beginning. I did wish, at moments, that the story pulled back a little to explore more of the broader universe. The political backdrop and the mystery of Terra Firma are ripe for digging into, but they take a backseat to the personal arc. That isn’t a flaw exactly, just a choice that trades scale for intimacy. And maybe that’s what this book is really about: not saving the galaxy, but saving the person you love most. That trade-off feels worth it.
TERRA NOVA is a warm but gut-wrenching story. It’s a sci-fi story for anyone who’s loved someone through illness, who’s had to grow up too fast, or who just needs a reminder that love is its own kind of gravity. I’d recommend it to fans of Becky Chambers, Martha Wells, or even folks who normally steer clear of sci-fi but love a strong emotional hook.
Wren writes with an intensity that sneaks up on you. Her pacing is smooth and measured, letting the emotion build naturally. The world-building is sharp without being showy. Every planet feels lived in, not just imagined. What stood out most to me was the tenderness between Sev and Phoenix. Their relationship isn’t perfect, but it’s thick with love and care. Wren doesn’t rush the drama or the science fiction, she lets her characters breathe. And in those breaths, the humanity shines. I found myself rooting for Sev not because she was heroic in the usual way, but because she felt real. Smart, a little stubborn, and so brave.
The emotional punches land hard. Watching Phoenix deteriorate is gutting, especially because he’s portrayed so vividly in the beginning. I did wish, at moments, that the story pulled back a little to explore more of the broader universe. The political backdrop and the mystery of Terra Firma are ripe for digging into, but they take a backseat to the personal arc. That isn’t a flaw exactly, just a choice that trades scale for intimacy. And maybe that’s what this book is really about: not saving the galaxy, but saving the person you love most. That trade-off feels worth it.
TERRA NOVA is a warm but gut-wrenching story. It’s a sci-fi story for anyone who’s loved someone through illness, who’s had to grow up too fast, or who just needs a reminder that love is its own kind of gravity. I’d recommend it to fans of Becky Chambers, Martha Wells, or even folks who normally steer clear of sci-fi but love a strong emotional hook.
June 19, 2025
Blast Off and Buckle Up!
This book? It’s like Hunger Games met The 100 and said, “Let’s go to space and break hearts.” 🚀 I was flipping pages like I was dodging lasers—because wow, the drama, the danger, the sibling vibes that make you cry and cheer at the same time! Phoenix, Sev, and Pearla are straight-up warriors, and I was HERE for it. Read Terra Nova if you're into galaxy-sized problems, family feels, and edge-of-your-seat craziness. And yeah, I yelled at the book more than once. 😂🌌
This book? It’s like Hunger Games met The 100 and said, “Let’s go to space and break hearts.” 🚀 I was flipping pages like I was dodging lasers—because wow, the drama, the danger, the sibling vibes that make you cry and cheer at the same time! Phoenix, Sev, and Pearla are straight-up warriors, and I was HERE for it. Read Terra Nova if you're into galaxy-sized problems, family feels, and edge-of-your-seat craziness. And yeah, I yelled at the book more than once. 😂🌌
June 23, 2025
Terra Nova is an intense, emotional ride through a crumbling galaxy where survival means more than just staying alive—it means protecting the people you love. I really liked how Phoenix, Sev, and Pearla’s bond was at the heart of everything, even when things got chaotic and dangerous. There’s action, yes, but also these quiet, powerful moments that hit you right in the gut. I stayed up way too late reading because I had to know if they’d make it out together.
September 6, 2025
**ARC reader**
Thank you to netgalley for providing this ARC.
Terra nova is the second book in a series and follows Sev, a young teen, and her father Phoenix.
Sev and Phoenix have fallen into a peaceful life at their planet, but this starts to change when the father falls seriously ill and Sev is forced to make the desperate choice to leave in search of a cure. A search that leads her to a wintry planet called Ocarro. Along for the ride, we have Phoenix partner Pearla.
This book tackles themes of love, loss and survival across worlds.
When I first went into this one I had already messed up by not noticing that it was a sequel in a series, entirely my bad, so to fix the problem I went back to read the first book so that I could properly give it the feedback it deserves.
This book to me was a solid 4/5 star rating and I can't wait to see what more will come from the author.
This book was in my opinion a great YA sci-fi, the prose is beautiful, the world-building is immersive and the characters themselves feel very real. I liked the father-daughter relationship between Sev and Phoenix, imperfect though it was, it felt very human and served as a great emotional core of the book.
Watching her father's declining health was heartbreaking, and still there was strength in our main character that made it easy to root for her.
The story is very character-driven though, and as such anyone wanting a more expansive sci-fi might be left feeling a little underwhelmed.
The story excels in the emotional intimacy, but the overall broader world still feels somewhat underexplored. That being said, I do believe it leaves plenty of options depending on how the author intends to move forward with the series in the future.
I am very much looking forward to reading any future books and will be adding both the first and second book of this series to my bookshelf!
Thank you to netgalley for providing this ARC.
Terra nova is the second book in a series and follows Sev, a young teen, and her father Phoenix.
Sev and Phoenix have fallen into a peaceful life at their planet, but this starts to change when the father falls seriously ill and Sev is forced to make the desperate choice to leave in search of a cure. A search that leads her to a wintry planet called Ocarro. Along for the ride, we have Phoenix partner Pearla.
This book tackles themes of love, loss and survival across worlds.
When I first went into this one I had already messed up by not noticing that it was a sequel in a series, entirely my bad, so to fix the problem I went back to read the first book so that I could properly give it the feedback it deserves.
This book to me was a solid 4/5 star rating and I can't wait to see what more will come from the author.
This book was in my opinion a great YA sci-fi, the prose is beautiful, the world-building is immersive and the characters themselves feel very real. I liked the father-daughter relationship between Sev and Phoenix, imperfect though it was, it felt very human and served as a great emotional core of the book.
Watching her father's declining health was heartbreaking, and still there was strength in our main character that made it easy to root for her.
The story is very character-driven though, and as such anyone wanting a more expansive sci-fi might be left feeling a little underwhelmed.
The story excels in the emotional intimacy, but the overall broader world still feels somewhat underexplored. That being said, I do believe it leaves plenty of options depending on how the author intends to move forward with the series in the future.
I am very much looking forward to reading any future books and will be adding both the first and second book of this series to my bookshelf!
June 23, 2025
Hold Onto Your Jetpacks—Terra Nova Blasts Off!
Terra Nova is a rollercoaster through the cosmos with betrayal, buried secrets, and a fierce fam fighting like legends—I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough (or catch my breath)!
Terra Nova is a rollercoaster through the cosmos with betrayal, buried secrets, and a fierce fam fighting like legends—I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough (or catch my breath)!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews