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Earth & Sky #2
The Clouded Sky
Skylar never imagined that she’d end up helping a boy from another planet search through Earth’s history for a way to end his people’s secret control over her world. But now that she’s been drawn into Win’s group of rebels, she can’t walk away until their mission is completed.
Whisked to the immense space station that Win and the rest of the Kemyates call home, Skylar discovers that even the rebels don’t see her as an equal. Determined to prove herself amid her homesickness in the alien environment, she throws herself into the work to free Earth. Her keen attention to detail and skill with numbers start to earn her colleagues’ respect, but that doesn’t make her position any less precarious. As the Enforcers escalate their attempts to capture the rebels, it becomes clear that someone within the resistance is leaking information to the enemy. And Skylar may be in the best position to uncover the traitor.
With each step toward the truth, Skylar is pulled deeper into the lives around her and the full horrors of her planet’s imprisonment. To see her mission through, she must risk her life, her heart, and the future she’s worked so hard to preserve.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
87 people are currently reading
1355 people want to read
About the author
Megan Crewe
27 books831 followersLike many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and son (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she's spent the last six years studying kung fu, so you should probably be nice to her. She has been making up stories about magic and spirits and other what ifs since before she knew how to write words on paper. These days the stories are just a lot longer.
Megan's first novel, GIVE UP THE GHOST, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Her second, THE WAY WE FALL, was nominated for the White Pine Award and made the International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices List. Her Fallen World trilogy (THE WAY WE FALL, THE LIVES WE LOST, THE WORLDS WE MAKE) is now complete and she has a new trilogy forthcoming in October 2014, beginning with EARTH & SKY. Her books have been published in translation in several countries around the world. She has also published short stories in magazines such as On Spec and Brutarian Quarterly.
Megan's first novel, GIVE UP THE GHOST, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Her second, THE WAY WE FALL, was nominated for the White Pine Award and made the International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices List. Her Fallen World trilogy (THE WAY WE FALL, THE LIVES WE LOST, THE WORLDS WE MAKE) is now complete and she has a new trilogy forthcoming in October 2014, beginning with EARTH & SKY. Her books have been published in translation in several countries around the world. She has also published short stories in magazines such as On Spec and Brutarian Quarterly.
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October 19, 2014Things I can tell you about this book right now:
-It starts almost immediately after book 1 (like, about a half hour has passed since Earth & Sky's last scene).
-It takes place almost entirely on Kemya.
-If Earth & Sky was my time travel adventure, then this is my spy thriller in space.
Feel free to comment with questions and if they're not spoilery I will answer. :)
-It starts almost immediately after book 1 (like, about a half hour has passed since Earth & Sky's last scene).
-It takes place almost entirely on Kemya.
-If Earth & Sky was my time travel adventure, then this is my spy thriller in space.
Feel free to comment with questions and if they're not spoilery I will answer. :)
February 14, 2026
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MY THOUGHTS
I loved the first book in this series, so I was excited to read this book! This book was full of surprises and it was absolutely fantastic!
Aliens have been secretly messing with Earth's time field. Skylar, Win, and the rebels have discovered the weapon that will free the Earth and are now heading back to the space station that this race calls home. But Skylar is an Earthling and can't be fully allowed on the station, unless she pretends to be an Earthling "pet". The rebels continue to meet, but they face betrayal and Skylar is determined to find the spy.
I was a bit disappointed at first by the fact that there wasn't really any time travel, but I actually think I like this more than the first book! I feel like I'm getting a better understanding on these people, as horrendous they are towards Earthlings. It was interesting getting this look into things and even though I ended up with more questions, I felt like things got clearer.
There is a new unexpected romance in this book and, oddly enough I was shipping it. I actually really liked this . It also didn't distract from the plot at all, so that's a plus!
This book has a lot of just planning and plotting, so it may have some middle-book syndrome, but it wasn't dull or boring. The spend of this book really picks up in the end, so much that I'm still reeling from it. It was really intense and, yes, there was a cliffhanger.
IN CONCLUSION
This is such a great sci-fi series and this was a great sequel! I admit, I actually like it more than book one! I felt like I learned so much more of the world and characters, and I loved the unexpected romance. There is a cliffhanger that my brain still can't comprehend, so you may want to wait on this one, but I definitely recommend this series!
November 18, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Clouded Sky is the second installment in Megan Crewe's Earth & Sky trilogy. The story itself picks up almost immediately after the ending of Earth and Sky. 17-year old Skylar Ross has managed to become a member of a group of Interplanetary rebels looking to stop the Council of Kemya from continuing its experiments on Earth's time field. They, or should I say Skylar and Win, have time traveled across several different timelines searching for parts of a weapon that can be used to destroy the time field surrounding Earth.
*FULL REVIEW POSTED @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/18/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published: May 5, 2015
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Clouded Sky is the second installment in Megan Crewe's Earth & Sky trilogy. The story itself picks up almost immediately after the ending of Earth and Sky. 17-year old Skylar Ross has managed to become a member of a group of Interplanetary rebels looking to stop the Council of Kemya from continuing its experiments on Earth's time field. They, or should I say Skylar and Win, have time traveled across several different timelines searching for parts of a weapon that can be used to destroy the time field surrounding Earth.
*FULL REVIEW POSTED @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/18/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published: May 5, 2015
April 28, 2015
I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.
So immediately after reading Megan Crewe's Earth & Sky, I dove right into The Clouded Sky, which picks up right where we leave off and oh wow! This one was just as epic as the first and there were soooo many twists and turns! Some I was able to predict, but naturally, there were things that totally blew me out of the water and I am still left in shock. When does the third book come out now? Netgalley will get it as an automatic read again, right?! The wait is going to be agonizing!!
Skylar leaves Earth with Win to go to his planet to help the rebels in their cause. They want to put a stop to Kemya's interfering with Earth and basically move on to finding their own home. They want to destroy the device that does all the monitoring and manipulating, and with Skylar's help and Jeanette's plans it's a possibility.
So remember that guy, Jule? Not sure if I mentioned him, he had only a brief role. But he was kind of a jerk. Well, that jerk is about to play a much larger role in this installment. Jule agrees to be Skylar's "keeper", it's the only plausible way to explain her presence on their space station that is their home away from home. Skylar is to be Jule's pet, which is basically as it sounds like. A Kemyate taking in a human for a pet because they're so fascinating! Which doesn't sit well with Skylar at all, but Jule is truly the only one she can safely stay with that won't arise suspicions.
I was throwing all the praises at the first book for not having a love triangle and I really did speak too soon, because wouldn't you know it, Jule isn't as such an a-hole like we thought! He has a different side to himself that he slowly shows Skylar in the time they spend together. He has had it rough over the years and only acts like an ass to put up a good show. And sure enough, things progress rather fast between these two. While it wasn't a straight up case of insta love, it was close. There were still times these two didn't get along, but, yeah, pretty soon Skylar and Jule are a couple. So sorry, Win.
The other larger part of the story involves a traitor in the rebel group's midst. Someone is leaking information to the Enforcers as the group is trying to move forward with their plan. There are some close calls and soon Skylar finds herself doing some investigating to learn who the traitor is. Being a pet she can easily move around unseen for the most part and she's been teaching herself the Kemyate's language with the programs on the computer she uses in Jule's place.
Once again, I found myself enjoying this book, but yet, there were times things just didn't move quite as fast as I would've like. Things dragged a bit. It took awhile to get to the action scenes, but again, once we got to those particular scenes, I was in full enjoyment mode! This read had a little more suspense than its predecessor. Mainly because Skylar is in an undercover role looking for a traitor. And oh wow, I started to make a guess as to who it was literally a chapter before Skylar got to the conclusion herself. And then after which, I felt let down by it. I can't really get into the whys or else I'll let a spoiler loose, so take that comment as you will!
The ending, oh my god, that ending!!! What the freaking freak?!!! Endings like this, or any cliffhanger, really need to be illegal! LOL! It's an ending that is so jaw-dropping and shocking, you're left blown away by it, I was shaking...and now...now I'm miffed I have to wait until the end of October for the conclusion. So please, Netgalley, get A Sky Unbroken up asap!! Times like these I regret binging a trilogy but having to wait for the third book. What on Earth was I thinking? LOL!
Again, I'll say if you're looking for a nice Sci-Fi YA series, this is one you should definitely check out! It's far different than I was expecting. The aliens don't really feel "alien", but as you'll learn, they are still dangerous individuals! The Clouded Sky was a phenomenal followup to Earth & Sky and I will be counting down the days to October! As if I wasn't already!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
The Clouded Sky releases May 5, 2015
So immediately after reading Megan Crewe's Earth & Sky, I dove right into The Clouded Sky, which picks up right where we leave off and oh wow! This one was just as epic as the first and there were soooo many twists and turns! Some I was able to predict, but naturally, there were things that totally blew me out of the water and I am still left in shock. When does the third book come out now? Netgalley will get it as an automatic read again, right?! The wait is going to be agonizing!!
Skylar leaves Earth with Win to go to his planet to help the rebels in their cause. They want to put a stop to Kemya's interfering with Earth and basically move on to finding their own home. They want to destroy the device that does all the monitoring and manipulating, and with Skylar's help and Jeanette's plans it's a possibility.
So remember that guy, Jule? Not sure if I mentioned him, he had only a brief role. But he was kind of a jerk. Well, that jerk is about to play a much larger role in this installment. Jule agrees to be Skylar's "keeper", it's the only plausible way to explain her presence on their space station that is their home away from home. Skylar is to be Jule's pet, which is basically as it sounds like. A Kemyate taking in a human for a pet because they're so fascinating! Which doesn't sit well with Skylar at all, but Jule is truly the only one she can safely stay with that won't arise suspicions.
I was throwing all the praises at the first book for not having a love triangle and I really did speak too soon, because wouldn't you know it, Jule isn't as such an a-hole like we thought! He has a different side to himself that he slowly shows Skylar in the time they spend together. He has had it rough over the years and only acts like an ass to put up a good show. And sure enough, things progress rather fast between these two. While it wasn't a straight up case of insta love, it was close. There were still times these two didn't get along, but, yeah, pretty soon Skylar and Jule are a couple. So sorry, Win.
The other larger part of the story involves a traitor in the rebel group's midst. Someone is leaking information to the Enforcers as the group is trying to move forward with their plan. There are some close calls and soon Skylar finds herself doing some investigating to learn who the traitor is. Being a pet she can easily move around unseen for the most part and she's been teaching herself the Kemyate's language with the programs on the computer she uses in Jule's place.
Once again, I found myself enjoying this book, but yet, there were times things just didn't move quite as fast as I would've like. Things dragged a bit. It took awhile to get to the action scenes, but again, once we got to those particular scenes, I was in full enjoyment mode! This read had a little more suspense than its predecessor. Mainly because Skylar is in an undercover role looking for a traitor. And oh wow, I started to make a guess as to who it was literally a chapter before Skylar got to the conclusion herself. And then after which, I felt let down by it. I can't really get into the whys or else I'll let a spoiler loose, so take that comment as you will!
The ending, oh my god, that ending!!! What the freaking freak?!!! Endings like this, or any cliffhanger, really need to be illegal! LOL! It's an ending that is so jaw-dropping and shocking, you're left blown away by it, I was shaking...and now...now I'm miffed I have to wait until the end of October for the conclusion. So please, Netgalley, get A Sky Unbroken up asap!! Times like these I regret binging a trilogy but having to wait for the third book. What on Earth was I thinking? LOL!
Again, I'll say if you're looking for a nice Sci-Fi YA series, this is one you should definitely check out! It's far different than I was expecting. The aliens don't really feel "alien", but as you'll learn, they are still dangerous individuals! The Clouded Sky was a phenomenal followup to Earth & Sky and I will be counting down the days to October! As if I wasn't already!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
The Clouded Sky releases May 5, 2015
February 21, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Aliens, rebels, traitors and space, The Clouded Sky by Megan Crewe has it all! This seond story of the Earth & Sky trilogy begins immediately where book one left off. It is one of the most thrilling mysteries I’ve read. This sequel definitely won’t disappoint!
The Clouded Sky is an amazing sequel to Earth and Sky. It begins right after the first book ends, with no gaps in the story. I found it really interesting how The Clouded Sky is basically the opposite of Earth & Sky. In this book, the main character, Skylar, is taken to the alien planet called Kemya where she must act like a slave. In book one, an alien from that planet arrives on Earth to discover parts of a secret weapon. I really enjoyed how the characters had gone through the same stress of living on a new planet, though Skylar has it much worse.
The Clouded Sky is an epic mystery novel also set in space. After residing with rebels in space, the police of the series, the Enforcers, are after Skylar and her group of alien friends. When a member of the group leaks information to the Enforcers, Skylar is tasked with finding out who. The reader is along for a ride that is so suspenseful and humorous, it will engage and delight at the same time.
The Earth and Sky books both have such cliffhanger endings! They blow the reader’s mind and then just end. Thankfully, the books are published on a six-month basis, so readers won’t have to wait a whole year for the final book. Thank you, Megan Crewe!
If you are a sci-fi fan, I strongly recommend The Clouded Sky to you. It is filled with mystery and an all-new alien planet. Before you read The Clouded Sky, however, you should probably check out book one, Earth and Sky.
Aliens, rebels, traitors and space, The Clouded Sky by Megan Crewe has it all! This seond story of the Earth & Sky trilogy begins immediately where book one left off. It is one of the most thrilling mysteries I’ve read. This sequel definitely won’t disappoint!
The Clouded Sky is an amazing sequel to Earth and Sky. It begins right after the first book ends, with no gaps in the story. I found it really interesting how The Clouded Sky is basically the opposite of Earth & Sky. In this book, the main character, Skylar, is taken to the alien planet called Kemya where she must act like a slave. In book one, an alien from that planet arrives on Earth to discover parts of a secret weapon. I really enjoyed how the characters had gone through the same stress of living on a new planet, though Skylar has it much worse.
The Clouded Sky is an epic mystery novel also set in space. After residing with rebels in space, the police of the series, the Enforcers, are after Skylar and her group of alien friends. When a member of the group leaks information to the Enforcers, Skylar is tasked with finding out who. The reader is along for a ride that is so suspenseful and humorous, it will engage and delight at the same time.
The Earth and Sky books both have such cliffhanger endings! They blow the reader’s mind and then just end. Thankfully, the books are published on a six-month basis, so readers won’t have to wait a whole year for the final book. Thank you, Megan Crewe!
If you are a sci-fi fan, I strongly recommend The Clouded Sky to you. It is filled with mystery and an all-new alien planet. Before you read The Clouded Sky, however, you should probably check out book one, Earth and Sky.
September 12, 2015
2 stars!
The sci-fi genre really does not appeal to me. I should have thought of that before I started reading (and before I requested the whole trilogy on Netgalley and now I have to read all three parts). But I'm not a quitter! I have to finish what I started. Even though I'll be suffering.. A lot.
In The Clouded Sky there was almost no Win for which I am grateful. I don't know why but I imagine him as this annoying, thin, nerdy boy with stinky breath (sorry Win). But there was lot of Jule. He's the cool kid. He's funny, out-going and doesn't put his foot in his mouth. And he's also incerdibly sweet inside.
So if I have to choose one team, I'm on team Jule. Definitely.
Sky was even worse then in the previous book. She got more boring, she counted with higher numbers and my hand twitched almost the whole time I was reading, I wanted to slap her so hard.
There's not much to say about the plot. Because there was none. Well. Okay, there was some but not much. The majority of the book was just never-ending circle of thinking, doing one thing over and over again and the rest was Sky's inner monologue.
And when something finally did happen it was predictable. For a while I was confused how come it didn't happen the way I thought it would, but then I found it couple of pages later so..
This series is really not for me and if you like fast-moving, gripping books it's not for you either.
For more reviews visit: http://do-notdiewondering.blogspot.com
*ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
The sci-fi genre really does not appeal to me. I should have thought of that before I started reading (and before I requested the whole trilogy on Netgalley and now I have to read all three parts). But I'm not a quitter! I have to finish what I started. Even though I'll be suffering.. A lot.
In The Clouded Sky there was almost no Win for which I am grateful. I don't know why but I imagine him as this annoying, thin, nerdy boy with stinky breath (sorry Win). But there was lot of Jule. He's the cool kid. He's funny, out-going and doesn't put his foot in his mouth. And he's also incerdibly sweet inside.
So if I have to choose one team, I'm on team Jule. Definitely.
Sky was even worse then in the previous book. She got more boring, she counted with higher numbers and my hand twitched almost the whole time I was reading, I wanted to slap her so hard.
There's not much to say about the plot. Because there was none. Well. Okay, there was some but not much. The majority of the book was just never-ending circle of thinking, doing one thing over and over again and the rest was Sky's inner monologue.
And when something finally did happen it was predictable. For a while I was confused how come it didn't happen the way I thought it would, but then I found it couple of pages later so..
This series is really not for me and if you like fast-moving, gripping books it's not for you either.
For more reviews visit: http://do-notdiewondering.blogspot.com
*ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
May 31, 2015
Just not as good as the first book. This isn't bad, but it's just not great. Nearly the entire book takes place on an alien space station, which sounds exciting, but isn't. It's pretty boring. Skylar is basically trying to find the traitor in a group of people she's just met. Why her? Why can't anyone else figure this out? And the "mystery" of who the traitor is is just too damn obvious. What is she even doing there? You'd think that for all the trouble of bringing her along, they'd have something important for her to do...
The "pet" thing just freaked me out too much. A lot of people keep humans as "pets" and it's just as creepy as you would think. I've actually avoided other books that include this and probably would have avoided this one too if I had known it was part of the storyline.
I liked the idea of the love interest, but it just fell a little flat - I just didn't really feel anything. I actually really liked Jule, but I never got the sense that Skylar did.
The "pet" thing just freaked me out too much. A lot of people keep humans as "pets" and it's just as creepy as you would think. I've actually avoided other books that include this and probably would have avoided this one too if I had known it was part of the storyline.
I liked the idea of the love interest, but it just fell a little flat - I just didn't really feel anything. I actually really liked Jule, but I never got the sense that Skylar did.
April 18, 2015
Warning; Wet blanket review. The action was terrific, the mystery spell binding the romance tender for puppy love. But what happened to the yellow, red, black and brown citizens of earth? How can a race of white men and women populate a planet? A little bit more research into world building would paid off great dividends.
tbr-series-sequels-x
April 9, 20209 April 2020: $0.99 on Kindle
7 January 2016: $1.99 on Kindle
7 January 2016: $1.99 on Kindle
May 29, 2015
Huge thank you to Amazon Skyscape and Netgalley for this ARC!
I really enjoyed Earth & Sky when I had read it last year, and part of me felt I needed that second book right away. Funny enough how things change, because the sequel, The Clouded Sky took me forever to get into -- and it begins right where the last book leaves off!
I am struggling to put my finger on why I simply liked this sequel as opposed to loving it the way I did the first book. Part of it was I didn't find myself instantly connected even though I still enjoyed these characters. I felt there was a bit too much going on, even though most of it was quite interesting. Weirdly this book felt more like a space thriller/mystery novel, and I liked and disliked that aspect. Again, it's hard to put into words why this sequel didn't entirely work for me.
I still love these characters, and I think the world building is still great. Being on Kemya the whole book was definitely quite the treat, and it was so fascinating the amount of detail Crewe put into the world. I still appreciate that the characters are in fact aliens and not just aliens looking like humans. Still, the action packed pacing in there, there's lots of intrigue, and it is a solid sequel. I'm still on board for the last book, but for the life of me I wish I could figure out why I liked and not loved this one!
I really enjoyed Earth & Sky when I had read it last year, and part of me felt I needed that second book right away. Funny enough how things change, because the sequel, The Clouded Sky took me forever to get into -- and it begins right where the last book leaves off!
I am struggling to put my finger on why I simply liked this sequel as opposed to loving it the way I did the first book. Part of it was I didn't find myself instantly connected even though I still enjoyed these characters. I felt there was a bit too much going on, even though most of it was quite interesting. Weirdly this book felt more like a space thriller/mystery novel, and I liked and disliked that aspect. Again, it's hard to put into words why this sequel didn't entirely work for me.
I still love these characters, and I think the world building is still great. Being on Kemya the whole book was definitely quite the treat, and it was so fascinating the amount of detail Crewe put into the world. I still appreciate that the characters are in fact aliens and not just aliens looking like humans. Still, the action packed pacing in there, there's lots of intrigue, and it is a solid sequel. I'm still on board for the last book, but for the life of me I wish I could figure out why I liked and not loved this one!
July 8, 2015
Skylar decided to accompany Win to his home space station to see their mission through. But she can't stay with Win. She has to stay with Jule, you know, that ass that's always picking on Win. But not only that, she has to pose as his Earthling pet. A drugged up human used as a servant or entertainment by rich Kemyates. And they can't be seen associating with Win.
And as Skylar gets closer to Jule and farther from Win, Skylar isn't sure who she can trust anymore, especially with a traitor in their midst. And the only way to find out is to take matters into her own hands. Learning the Kemyate language, spying on Kemyate officials, and learning to pilot spaceships. In a matter of months Skylar has become a freakin badass mf. She's matured, taken charge, and made some relatable mistakes.
I can't wait to see what she does next.
Netgalley read.
And as Skylar gets closer to Jule and farther from Win, Skylar isn't sure who she can trust anymore, especially with a traitor in their midst. And the only way to find out is to take matters into her own hands. Learning the Kemyate language, spying on Kemyate officials, and learning to pilot spaceships. In a matter of months Skylar has become a freakin badass mf. She's matured, taken charge, and made some relatable mistakes.
I can't wait to see what she does next.
Netgalley read.
May 8, 2015
"The Clouded Sky" takes the world created in "Earth and Sky" and gives it a new twist. In book one, we follow Skylar and Win as they time- and place-hop across Earth. Now Sky is hiding on the Kemyate ship ... and she'd be in terrible danger if discovered. My favorite thing about this book was the mystery element--you could call it a sci-fi whodunit. If you liked book one I think you'll love book two.
April 15, 2015
WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
I liked this book WAYY better than the first one.
It was fast paced,
AWESOMEEEEE
and filled with fangirling moments.
First of all we meet Jule ;)
Second of all we meet Jule ;)
Third of all we read about Jule ;)
CANNOT FREAKING WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOK!
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
I liked this book WAYY better than the first one.
It was fast paced,
AWESOMEEEEE
and filled with fangirling moments.
First of all we meet Jule ;)
Second of all we meet Jule ;)
Third of all we read about Jule ;)
CANNOT FREAKING WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOK!
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
January 23, 2018
I really loved this, even more than the first one. Great twists and turns! Some of them I saw coming, some I didn't. Can't wait to read the final book!
May 22, 2015
"The Clouded Sky" the exciting sequel to "Earth & Sky"a blend of science fiction and romance begins after Skylar and her friend Win on the run from the Enforcers leave earth with the rebels bound for the Kemyat home space station. Armed with the components of a secret weapon that will destroy the time field generator they have to make a stop at the base to acquire more fuel (kolzo) to power it. But nothing goes as planned when the Enforcers and their nemesis Kurra begin hunting the rebels and they start to unravel the Earth Travel Council's plans for both worlds.
Megan Crewe creates an innovative and imaginative culture that fled the devastation of their world to live on a space station until another suitable planet could be found. With their technology they have been able to time travel on Earth, rewriting human history at will. The Kemyates whose Councils govern all walks of life consider Earth a degraded planet with archaic technology and often kidnap and drug earthlings to use as pets and servants, even housing some in a zoo for their entertainment. In this fast-paced and captivating page-turner Skylar has to keep her identity a secret because of the bigoted view of its inhabitants, poising as wealthy and flirtatious Jule Adka's "pet" so she can stay under the Enforcer's radar until the weapon is ready. Cleverly Megan Crewe builds suspense and tension with Skylar's escapades as she tries to impress the rebels by discovering the traitor's identity and to help fulfill the mission so she can return to Earth.
In a story where Win appears to reject Skylar's affection his rivalry with Jule escalates when she begins to have strong feelings for the smart, arrogant insurgent. As romance blossoms with Jule she tries to control her growing affection knowing it's futile when she yearns to return to her friends and family on Earth. The plot continually twists and turns not only as Jule and Skylar struggle with their forbidden love but with the ongoing mission to find the traitor funnelling information to the Enforcers while preparing the weapon to destroy the generator. In an explosive ending Megan Crewe leaves the reader begging for a third book and an answer to the fate of Earth and the Kemyates.
In this well-developed plot the characters continue to mature as they're swept up in the rebellion. Skylar uses her skills- her sense of wrongness in an event or person, her attention to detail and her love of numbers- to search for the traitor and make herself indispensable to the rebels. Homesick for family and friends she struggles with her feelings not only for Jule but for Win who has sworn to protect her. Jule plagued by a rich but nasty father appears to be cocky and glib but is teasing, tender and solicitous to Skylar. He continually antagonizes his rival Win, a teen who continues to be Skylar's stalwart and loyal friend. These main characters as well as many more personalities add to the drama, passion and power of this mesmerizing story.
I liked " The Clouded Sky" which heats up as the Enforcers pursue the rebels, feeding on tidbits from a traitor and continually locking down the space station to stop their mission. It's a thrilling episode with a dash of mystery blended in as Skylar struggles to free her unsuspecting planet from the Kemyates high-tech control. I look forward to reading the next chapter in this fascinating series.
Megan Crewe creates an innovative and imaginative culture that fled the devastation of their world to live on a space station until another suitable planet could be found. With their technology they have been able to time travel on Earth, rewriting human history at will. The Kemyates whose Councils govern all walks of life consider Earth a degraded planet with archaic technology and often kidnap and drug earthlings to use as pets and servants, even housing some in a zoo for their entertainment. In this fast-paced and captivating page-turner Skylar has to keep her identity a secret because of the bigoted view of its inhabitants, poising as wealthy and flirtatious Jule Adka's "pet" so she can stay under the Enforcer's radar until the weapon is ready. Cleverly Megan Crewe builds suspense and tension with Skylar's escapades as she tries to impress the rebels by discovering the traitor's identity and to help fulfill the mission so she can return to Earth.
In a story where Win appears to reject Skylar's affection his rivalry with Jule escalates when she begins to have strong feelings for the smart, arrogant insurgent. As romance blossoms with Jule she tries to control her growing affection knowing it's futile when she yearns to return to her friends and family on Earth. The plot continually twists and turns not only as Jule and Skylar struggle with their forbidden love but with the ongoing mission to find the traitor funnelling information to the Enforcers while preparing the weapon to destroy the generator. In an explosive ending Megan Crewe leaves the reader begging for a third book and an answer to the fate of Earth and the Kemyates.
In this well-developed plot the characters continue to mature as they're swept up in the rebellion. Skylar uses her skills- her sense of wrongness in an event or person, her attention to detail and her love of numbers- to search for the traitor and make herself indispensable to the rebels. Homesick for family and friends she struggles with her feelings not only for Jule but for Win who has sworn to protect her. Jule plagued by a rich but nasty father appears to be cocky and glib but is teasing, tender and solicitous to Skylar. He continually antagonizes his rival Win, a teen who continues to be Skylar's stalwart and loyal friend. These main characters as well as many more personalities add to the drama, passion and power of this mesmerizing story.
I liked " The Clouded Sky" which heats up as the Enforcers pursue the rebels, feeding on tidbits from a traitor and continually locking down the space station to stop their mission. It's a thrilling episode with a dash of mystery blended in as Skylar struggles to free her unsuspecting planet from the Kemyates high-tech control. I look forward to reading the next chapter in this fascinating series.
January 5, 2016
3.5 stars
I really, really enjoyed the first book in the series, Earth & Sky, and couldn't wait to get my hands on The Clouded Sky. The concept behind the series is quite fascinating, and I love learning more and more about both worlds and new characters.
The Clouded Sky starts off right were we left at the end of Earth & Sky. Skylar and Win have joined the remaining rebels (and the rest of the Kemyates) on their space station, and now they must look for a new threat within their ranks. During this time, Skylar learns a lot about the Kemyates their true thoughts about Earth and humans and just how far they will, and do, go for self-preservation.
What Worked
I loved getting to know more about the Kemyates. I have been curious about their motives since the beginning. And trust me, we learn a lot. This is not the best group of Aliens on a good day, and a lot of the things they did were horrible.
The new cast of characters. I loved them. Some of them we met in the first book, aka Jule, but the rest? New and I loved.
The plot twists. One, I saw coming. I thought the trader was obvious but.... [spoiler] there was more than one trader! WHAT.[/spoiler]
Skylar. I have to give it to this girl, she can hold it together in the worst of circumstances. While there were times i thought a few things she did were WAY TOO CONVENIENT to get things moving, I was able to kind of stick that to the side.. She is smart, resource full and strong.
That ending though. HOLY BATMAN. It was a doozy!
What Didn't Work
The romance. What I loved about the first book is that while there was a hint at a romance, it didn't consume the plot and left us to focus on I don't know, SAVING EARTH. In The Clouded Sky, there is a romance. The problem with it is that I LOVE these two! [spoiler] But I knew something was amiss the entire time! And I feel that the love interest was who it was for shock value later on.[/spoiler] This will definitely have its repercussion in the 3rd and final book, A Sky Unbroken.
The pacing. This is more than likely a personal thing, but I thought the book was slow. It takes a long time for things to really pick up.
There are still some holes. I mentioned above that we learn more about the Kemyates. But I feel like there is something missing. Yes, we learn about their motives but I don't understand WHY. It could be because I am a little slow on the uptake - but there are still some things left unexplained that is driving me INSANE.
Overall - I liked The Clouded Sky. I adore Skylar, the new cast of characters and the world is fascinating. After the ending, I am looking forward to the final book in the series.
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really, really enjoyed the first book in the series, Earth & Sky, and couldn't wait to get my hands on The Clouded Sky. The concept behind the series is quite fascinating, and I love learning more and more about both worlds and new characters.
The Clouded Sky starts off right were we left at the end of Earth & Sky. Skylar and Win have joined the remaining rebels (and the rest of the Kemyates) on their space station, and now they must look for a new threat within their ranks. During this time, Skylar learns a lot about the Kemyates their true thoughts about Earth and humans and just how far they will, and do, go for self-preservation.
What Worked
I loved getting to know more about the Kemyates. I have been curious about their motives since the beginning. And trust me, we learn a lot. This is not the best group of Aliens on a good day, and a lot of the things they did were horrible.
The new cast of characters. I loved them. Some of them we met in the first book, aka Jule, but the rest? New and I loved.
The plot twists. One, I saw coming. I thought the trader was obvious but.... [spoiler] there was more than one trader! WHAT.[/spoiler]
Skylar. I have to give it to this girl, she can hold it together in the worst of circumstances. While there were times i thought a few things she did were WAY TOO CONVENIENT to get things moving, I was able to kind of stick that to the side.. She is smart, resource full and strong.
That ending though. HOLY BATMAN. It was a doozy!
What Didn't Work
The romance. What I loved about the first book is that while there was a hint at a romance, it didn't consume the plot and left us to focus on I don't know, SAVING EARTH. In The Clouded Sky, there is a romance. The problem with it is that I LOVE these two! [spoiler] But I knew something was amiss the entire time! And I feel that the love interest was who it was for shock value later on.[/spoiler] This will definitely have its repercussion in the 3rd and final book, A Sky Unbroken.
The pacing. This is more than likely a personal thing, but I thought the book was slow. It takes a long time for things to really pick up.
There are still some holes. I mentioned above that we learn more about the Kemyates. But I feel like there is something missing. Yes, we learn about their motives but I don't understand WHY. It could be because I am a little slow on the uptake - but there are still some things left unexplained that is driving me INSANE.
Overall - I liked The Clouded Sky. I adore Skylar, the new cast of characters and the world is fascinating. After the ending, I am looking forward to the final book in the series.
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 3, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on Books and Ladders
This book started off really boring for like 20% of the novel. Then Jule became like super hot to me, which obviously turned the story around in my opinion. But the ending was actually the best moment of the entire thing.
We get thrown right back into the story after Earth & Sky, literally seconds/minutes after the previous story concluded. Skylar gets introduced to a bunch of new people that will become important later on in the story and we find out that she has to live with Jule, who is such a jerk and was rude to her on Earth and oh it's going to be so horrible (lol jk).
Honestly the first half of the story wasn't attention grabbing. Once the whole "we have to find out who is leaking our information" bit started and Skylar was doing investigations behind the groups back, it got more interesting. It was nice to have her separated from Win because she was able to grow on her own as an individual. She is able to realize that maybe she should try something different (other than Win) because she needs to adjust to her new surroundings. Enter Jule.
This was the romance I was waiting for. It had a love-triangle feel to it (especially near the end), but I found Win so boring, especially in the last book, that I was glad to have Jule to shake things up. The romance even felt like a subplot to me (which is great) because Skylar was so focused on figuring everything out rather than making Jule fall in love with her. The romance also served to world build, which was an interesting way of doing so. I did like learning more about Kemya and their culture, but it was a bit jarring to read about the "pets" and the "zoos" that they keep on the station.
I was so nervous for Skylar so many times while she was digging and interacting with different people. I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. I do think the traitor storyline had an obvious conclusion -- there was lots of foreshadowing throughout the novel. But that was a good thing. Throw a kink in the loop and all that jazz.
But holy shit that ending. I had to reread those last couple pages again and again to make sure I read it right. I was freaking out. And I was at work finishing this one so people were probably like "what is this crazy girl so upset about" but it was so good!! I wasn't sure how it was going to be a trilogy but now I cannot WAIT for the next one.
Overall: 3.5/5! I'm really excited to see how this one ends!
This review was originally posted on Books and Ladders
This book started off really boring for like 20% of the novel. Then Jule became like super hot to me, which obviously turned the story around in my opinion. But the ending was actually the best moment of the entire thing.
We get thrown right back into the story after Earth & Sky, literally seconds/minutes after the previous story concluded. Skylar gets introduced to a bunch of new people that will become important later on in the story and we find out that she has to live with Jule, who is such a jerk and was rude to her on Earth and oh it's going to be so horrible (lol jk).
Honestly the first half of the story wasn't attention grabbing. Once the whole "we have to find out who is leaking our information" bit started and Skylar was doing investigations behind the groups back, it got more interesting. It was nice to have her separated from Win because she was able to grow on her own as an individual. She is able to realize that maybe she should try something different (other than Win) because she needs to adjust to her new surroundings. Enter Jule.
This was the romance I was waiting for. It had a love-triangle feel to it (especially near the end), but I found Win so boring, especially in the last book, that I was glad to have Jule to shake things up. The romance even felt like a subplot to me (which is great) because Skylar was so focused on figuring everything out rather than making Jule fall in love with her. The romance also served to world build, which was an interesting way of doing so. I did like learning more about Kemya and their culture, but it was a bit jarring to read about the "pets" and the "zoos" that they keep on the station.
I was so nervous for Skylar so many times while she was digging and interacting with different people. I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. I do think the traitor storyline had an obvious conclusion -- there was lots of foreshadowing throughout the novel. But that was a good thing. Throw a kink in the loop and all that jazz.
But holy shit that ending. I had to reread those last couple pages again and again to make sure I read it right. I was freaking out. And I was at work finishing this one so people were probably like "what is this crazy girl so upset about" but it was so good!! I wasn't sure how it was going to be a trilogy but now I cannot WAIT for the next one.
Overall: 3.5/5! I'm really excited to see how this one ends!
December 13, 2015
Originally posted on Brit's Book Nook
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I wish book 1 just had an epilogue and leave it at that. I honestly don’t see the need for this to be a series. Especially with how this book was written.
Someone in the rebel group is leaking information so they have to find out who it is. I love mystery, don’t get me wrong, but we don’t get any substantial clues until after 60% of the book. The nice thing is that we find out who done it, even if it was super obvious. The not so nice thing is that the last sentence of the book shows us that this person wasn’t working alone. And that part I didn’t like.
There was no real character development. Everybody was pretty much the same. We didn’t see much of Win or anybody really besides Skylar and Jule, which lead to a relationship that is meant to break your heart but really just makes you want to tell them off. At least I did anyways.
With how the book ended, and how the summary describes book 3, I have no idea where this series is going. But it’s a good thing that it’s supposed to be done with book 3.
The one redeeming quality of this book is the views on homosexuality and exploring ones sexuality. They basically say to each their own, don’t judge each other and respect each other.
I wish I had more to say about this book but there isn’t a whole going on to comment on that won’t spoil anything. I don’t think I would recommend this series anymore. I love the idea of book 1 but I don’t think it was well executed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I wish book 1 just had an epilogue and leave it at that. I honestly don’t see the need for this to be a series. Especially with how this book was written.
Someone in the rebel group is leaking information so they have to find out who it is. I love mystery, don’t get me wrong, but we don’t get any substantial clues until after 60% of the book. The nice thing is that we find out who done it, even if it was super obvious. The not so nice thing is that the last sentence of the book shows us that this person wasn’t working alone. And that part I didn’t like.
There was no real character development. Everybody was pretty much the same. We didn’t see much of Win or anybody really besides Skylar and Jule, which lead to a relationship that is meant to break your heart but really just makes you want to tell them off. At least I did anyways.
With how the book ended, and how the summary describes book 3, I have no idea where this series is going. But it’s a good thing that it’s supposed to be done with book 3.
The one redeeming quality of this book is the views on homosexuality and exploring ones sexuality. They basically say to each their own, don’t judge each other and respect each other.
I wish I had more to say about this book but there isn’t a whole going on to comment on that won’t spoil anything. I don’t think I would recommend this series anymore. I love the idea of book 1 but I don’t think it was well executed.
June 18, 2015
** A big thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for allowing me to have a copy of this book to read and review.**
Okay, so my thoughts now I've finished the book... Why?! Why is the third book not out yet?! Also, Why did Jule have to be the traitor :'(.
No matter what Jule has done I still believe him, I still believe that he really does love her I just hope in the third book they somehow find a way to come back together. We don't see as much of Win in this book but that's mostly because it focuses on Skylar and Jule's relationship. There's no way that Jule would do all that for Skylar unless he really loved her and she loves him.
After everything thy did to save Earth the enforcers dropped a bomb on it, literally. Hopefully in the third book they can find a way to save Earth and all its inhabitants as well as repair Jule and Skylar's relationship although it seems unlikely now that Earth has gone.
I like that the second book continues from more or less where the last one left off. This is the first series I've read by this author but it certainly will not be the last.
It could be just one more way to charm the girl who's around right now. Requiring as little thought as breathing.
I have to remember that. Because the sensation passing through me as he shoots me that challenge of a smile isn't just one of fun and games, a quick fling to pass the time. Its the distinctive feeling of falling.
Okay, so my thoughts now I've finished the book... Why?! Why is the third book not out yet?! Also, Why did Jule have to be the traitor :'(.
No matter what Jule has done I still believe him, I still believe that he really does love her I just hope in the third book they somehow find a way to come back together. We don't see as much of Win in this book but that's mostly because it focuses on Skylar and Jule's relationship. There's no way that Jule would do all that for Skylar unless he really loved her and she loves him.
After everything thy did to save Earth the enforcers dropped a bomb on it, literally. Hopefully in the third book they can find a way to save Earth and all its inhabitants as well as repair Jule and Skylar's relationship although it seems unlikely now that Earth has gone.
I like that the second book continues from more or less where the last one left off. This is the first series I've read by this author but it certainly will not be the last.
It could be just one more way to charm the girl who's around right now. Requiring as little thought as breathing.
I have to remember that. Because the sensation passing through me as he shoots me that challenge of a smile isn't just one of fun and games, a quick fling to pass the time. Its the distinctive feeling of falling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2015
The Clouded Sky by Megan Crewe is the second installment in the Earth & Sky trilogy. Whereas Earth & Sky was more of a time travel/adventure. This book is more thriller/mystery. This book begins at the heels of where Earth & Sky leaves you. Also, this book takes place on Kemya, not Earth.
Although there was not a cliffhanger ending associated with the first book, I was very excited to get my hands on the second book in the series, and I have to say, I love it even more!!
The book really built on the characters, you really get to see them in some complex situations that show their character more. Skylar was strong in the first book, but in this one, even though she is still strong, you get to see her softer side and really feel for her when she puts herself on the line again and again and more than not it ends in disappointment for her.
This book cleared up a lot of the questions I had after reading the first book, Earth & Sky. The people from Kemya really view earthlings in a rare light, almost like a twilight zone episode. There was a little romance in this one, which caught me by surprise. And the twists and turns through the plot, well lets just say.. it was really hard to figure out what would happen ahead of time and wow was I surprised about A Lot of it!!
The book did end in a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next one! Great Sci Fy book!
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.
Although there was not a cliffhanger ending associated with the first book, I was very excited to get my hands on the second book in the series, and I have to say, I love it even more!!
The book really built on the characters, you really get to see them in some complex situations that show their character more. Skylar was strong in the first book, but in this one, even though she is still strong, you get to see her softer side and really feel for her when she puts herself on the line again and again and more than not it ends in disappointment for her.
This book cleared up a lot of the questions I had after reading the first book, Earth & Sky. The people from Kemya really view earthlings in a rare light, almost like a twilight zone episode. There was a little romance in this one, which caught me by surprise. And the twists and turns through the plot, well lets just say.. it was really hard to figure out what would happen ahead of time and wow was I surprised about A Lot of it!!
The book did end in a cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the next one! Great Sci Fy book!
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.
May 9, 2015
The second book in the Earth and Sky trilogy, The Clouded Sky was awesome and was what I needed it to be. It picks off right where Earth and Sky left off. This book gives much more character development of our main character and of the side characters in the story. It takes place basically in the alien world of Kemya rather than Earth. I thought this was awesome and we got to see the alien world. This second book is basically an adventure/mystery novel, with rebels, aliens who hate humans, sabotage and a traitor that we are left guessing about. For the entire novel I could NOT stop thinking about who the traitor was. I was kept on a leash until the very end and when I finally found out I was shocked.
The other elements in this book's were good too. I was grateful that this book made up for the lack of character development in the first book and I'm so excited where Megan Crewe will take the third book! There was not much action in this novel, but the mystery made up for the action and I was glad to see some romance coming into this novel!
Overall, a fantastic and enjoyable read about aliens and mystery and rebellion and traitors.
The other elements in this book's were good too. I was grateful that this book made up for the lack of character development in the first book and I'm so excited where Megan Crewe will take the third book! There was not much action in this novel, but the mystery made up for the action and I was glad to see some romance coming into this novel!
Overall, a fantastic and enjoyable read about aliens and mystery and rebellion and traitors.
May 25, 2015
The Clouded Sky was still a fun read, but as many sequels do, didn’t quite meet my expectations. While Earth & Sky was a very straightforward story, The Clouded Sky had this odd love triangle that was more of a dyad with some angst tossed in. Also, the plot of The Clouded Sky was much more convoluted, although there was a great reveal that surprised me in the end.
If you really enjoyed Earth & Sky, then you should also enjoy The Clouded Sky. The two items above prevent The Clouded Sky from rising to four-star territory, but I personally am looking forward to the third book, as it’s been my experience that when book 2 wanes, book three usually matches or tops book 1.
If you really enjoyed Earth & Sky, then you should also enjoy The Clouded Sky. The two items above prevent The Clouded Sky from rising to four-star territory, but I personally am looking forward to the third book, as it’s been my experience that when book 2 wanes, book three usually matches or tops book 1.
April 19, 2015
Well done Megan Crewe. This book really hit the spot.
I wasn't too interested in reading book 2 because I didn't enjoy book 1. Though it did take me to chapter 3 to really sink into the book. I sat outside for 2 hours in the glorious sunshine and read the book cover to cover. I loved being immersed into this new world where earthlings are kept as pets.
Loved the story. Loved Jule. But that ending. ..
I have to admit I was blindsided by a certain revelation.
Sign me up for book 3.
I wasn't too interested in reading book 2 because I didn't enjoy book 1. Though it did take me to chapter 3 to really sink into the book. I sat outside for 2 hours in the glorious sunshine and read the book cover to cover. I loved being immersed into this new world where earthlings are kept as pets.
Loved the story. Loved Jule. But that ending. ..
I have to admit I was blindsided by a certain revelation.
Sign me up for book 3.
December 31, 2019
1.5/4 C-
It’s kind of funny. This is the sequel to Megan Crewe’s Earth & Sky, a book I had taken out of my local library right when the summer of 2016 was ending, and I was still reading it when I was supposed to move into my school dorm room, so I took it with me. And now three years later, it’s kind of the same circumstance. I gave two and a half stars out of four to Earth & Sky, which is just a slight recommendation, but I cannot deny its unconventional adventure left me with a memorable taste, so I’ve been thinking about the sequel for a while. Trouble was, the plot for this one didn’t sound nearly as interesting, and despite being only 343 pages, like its predecessor, there’s a lot of words, enough to fill a much larger book. But I finally returned to Skylar and Win’s adventure...with more mixed results.
When we last saw Skylar and Win, they managed to complete their part in a mission that would save Skylar’s Earthen world and Win’s Kemyan. Basically, Skylar was able to see and notice this guy while on a field trip at school, and this guy, Win, kind of kidnapped her explaining he’s an alien from the planet of Kemya and there’s a device that could obliterate this time field a corrupt group called The Enforcers have been using to manipulate the planet to how they please. The boss of the mission, and the leader of the Travelers, Jeanant, died right before all the proper information could be given. But now Skylar and Win are aboard the Travelers’ main headquarters, en route to Kemya. Skylar makes a few new acquaintances, such as Isis, a girl who's the best in the tech business, and her girlfriend Britta, who loves a mixture of computers and field work, Thlo, the second-in-line for leader after Jeanant’s demise, and someone who’s grieving for him right now, Jule, a guy about Win’s age who has not settled an unknown conflict between him and always refers to him as “Darwin”, and a few more. They all know English but are also obviously fluent in Kemyan, and Skylar manages to use a language application with their tech to learn the basics and intermediate levels of their talking, and she learns most of the language abnormally fast with its help. She still doesn’t know everything but knows enough so that she can act as a spy when they get to Kemya, because the people there see Earthlings as pets, as people too ignorant to ever know how to say “Yes” in Kemyan, allowing her to play dumb and gather information. Information for what? Well, missions have been getting bad interference, and Isis believes there’s a mole among the group betraying info of missions to enforcers. Will Skylar be able to find who before the traitor unmasks them all to the ruthless Enforcers?
There is a lot to like about this sequel to Earth & Sky. The cover is top-5-beautiful, better than the first book’s. Skylar feels like you or I if we were put into her situation; improvising, trying her best, and ending up with floundering material that may be a waste of time, may not be. A time gap ends up ensuing for Skylar, causing her to go a significant time period into the future, and Crewe adequately thinks about this, leaving in potential for the last book I'm going to look out for. The language barriers of Kemyan that Skylar is sometimes able to get her way around allow for a new way of hearing dialogue, suitable for a mystery novel. She hears the majority of what they're saying, but a few words are left out, allowing the information she receives to feel even more disjointed, providing a sense of realism to how tricky spying can be. The dire thing is, however, this book is missing the first entry’s primary ingredient; a fast pace. There were several times where I felt I needed a break, so I can imagine reluctant readers will have them too. Also, I hate to say it, but the twist was obvious, the winks noticeably winks. There’s a twist after that I did not see coming, so points for that, but the predictable twist was the main point of most of the book.
Several chapters begin with explaining to us it’s the next day, or a few days have passed, which can be realistic for lots of stories. I love writing about stories that transcend a few days to keep it fast-paced but there are some that have significance over weeks or months. The beginnings, however, the start of the chapters when they start a new day, felt a bit like “Okay, well, here we go again.” A lot of this book takes place over spying for the smallest of details, which is fine. But the first book was completely different. Skylar and Win kept jumping to different time periods to, yes, find things, and you could say the chapters begin with a new beginning like these ones, but there was always an Enforcer that caught up with them due to their tracking technology, making me anticipate when that would happen, and if they’d get out of it. It was non-stop wonderment with all sorts of different time periods, making every pit stop they took unique in several ways. Here...
After finishing this, I think I’m going to change my rating of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas from one and a half stars like this one to one star. I’m still going to finish with the Earth & Sky trilogy. I do care what’s going to happen to these characters. Basically, The Clouded Sky is a relatively good book that I wish I could’ve enjoyed reading a lot more than I did, and I wish I could say readers would too, but I gotta follow my gut sometimes.
It’s kind of funny. This is the sequel to Megan Crewe’s Earth & Sky, a book I had taken out of my local library right when the summer of 2016 was ending, and I was still reading it when I was supposed to move into my school dorm room, so I took it with me. And now three years later, it’s kind of the same circumstance. I gave two and a half stars out of four to Earth & Sky, which is just a slight recommendation, but I cannot deny its unconventional adventure left me with a memorable taste, so I’ve been thinking about the sequel for a while. Trouble was, the plot for this one didn’t sound nearly as interesting, and despite being only 343 pages, like its predecessor, there’s a lot of words, enough to fill a much larger book. But I finally returned to Skylar and Win’s adventure...with more mixed results.
When we last saw Skylar and Win, they managed to complete their part in a mission that would save Skylar’s Earthen world and Win’s Kemyan. Basically, Skylar was able to see and notice this guy while on a field trip at school, and this guy, Win, kind of kidnapped her explaining he’s an alien from the planet of Kemya and there’s a device that could obliterate this time field a corrupt group called The Enforcers have been using to manipulate the planet to how they please. The boss of the mission, and the leader of the Travelers, Jeanant, died right before all the proper information could be given. But now Skylar and Win are aboard the Travelers’ main headquarters, en route to Kemya. Skylar makes a few new acquaintances, such as Isis, a girl who's the best in the tech business, and her girlfriend Britta, who loves a mixture of computers and field work, Thlo, the second-in-line for leader after Jeanant’s demise, and someone who’s grieving for him right now, Jule, a guy about Win’s age who has not settled an unknown conflict between him and always refers to him as “Darwin”, and a few more. They all know English but are also obviously fluent in Kemyan, and Skylar manages to use a language application with their tech to learn the basics and intermediate levels of their talking, and she learns most of the language abnormally fast with its help. She still doesn’t know everything but knows enough so that she can act as a spy when they get to Kemya, because the people there see Earthlings as pets, as people too ignorant to ever know how to say “Yes” in Kemyan, allowing her to play dumb and gather information. Information for what? Well, missions have been getting bad interference, and Isis believes there’s a mole among the group betraying info of missions to enforcers. Will Skylar be able to find who before the traitor unmasks them all to the ruthless Enforcers?
There is a lot to like about this sequel to Earth & Sky. The cover is top-5-beautiful, better than the first book’s. Skylar feels like you or I if we were put into her situation; improvising, trying her best, and ending up with floundering material that may be a waste of time, may not be. A time gap ends up ensuing for Skylar, causing her to go a significant time period into the future, and Crewe adequately thinks about this, leaving in potential for the last book I'm going to look out for. The language barriers of Kemyan that Skylar is sometimes able to get her way around allow for a new way of hearing dialogue, suitable for a mystery novel. She hears the majority of what they're saying, but a few words are left out, allowing the information she receives to feel even more disjointed, providing a sense of realism to how tricky spying can be. The dire thing is, however, this book is missing the first entry’s primary ingredient; a fast pace. There were several times where I felt I needed a break, so I can imagine reluctant readers will have them too. Also, I hate to say it, but the twist was obvious, the winks noticeably winks. There’s a twist after that I did not see coming, so points for that, but the predictable twist was the main point of most of the book.
Several chapters begin with explaining to us it’s the next day, or a few days have passed, which can be realistic for lots of stories. I love writing about stories that transcend a few days to keep it fast-paced but there are some that have significance over weeks or months. The beginnings, however, the start of the chapters when they start a new day, felt a bit like “Okay, well, here we go again.” A lot of this book takes place over spying for the smallest of details, which is fine. But the first book was completely different. Skylar and Win kept jumping to different time periods to, yes, find things, and you could say the chapters begin with a new beginning like these ones, but there was always an Enforcer that caught up with them due to their tracking technology, making me anticipate when that would happen, and if they’d get out of it. It was non-stop wonderment with all sorts of different time periods, making every pit stop they took unique in several ways. Here...
After finishing this, I think I’m going to change my rating of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas from one and a half stars like this one to one star. I’m still going to finish with the Earth & Sky trilogy. I do care what’s going to happen to these characters. Basically, The Clouded Sky is a relatively good book that I wish I could’ve enjoyed reading a lot more than I did, and I wish I could say readers would too, but I gotta follow my gut sometimes.
March 10, 2024
Received for review from the publisher. Original review removed.
June 8, 2015
A great sequel to the first story. Totally shocked by the ending and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
July 29, 2018
2.5
The actual plot of this book was fine, but I just couldn't get over all the bad or unexplained science. It bugs me when authors make new science for their books and then don't explain it. There's a point when Skylar asks how engines on their ships work, and Jule brushes it off by saying he's not very into tech. That's just lazy writing. At least come up with something. At another point Skylar says she's millions of miles away from Earth. Honey, if you were millions of miles away, you'd probably be somewhere near Mars, maybe Jupiter, which you are definitely not. You're trillions of miles away. There is a big difference. And flying through the asteroid belt isn't like what they show in movies. It isn't so thickly populated that you have to make hundreds of adjustments to avoid anything. The asteroids are all so far apart, you can basically fly through there with little or no course adjustment. Also, I had a little bit of a hard time believing that she picked up the Kemyate language that fast. Sure, she doesn't have much else to do, but it seemed a little unbelievable given the time period in which she learned it, and how much she learned.
I liked most of the characters. I couldn't really connect with all of them, because some of them don't have very big parts, but all the major ones I was fine with. I can't say I loved any of them, but I didn't hate any of them either.
I do plan on reading the last book, but I really hope the author does better with her science, since it's been very poorly done in the last two books.
The actual plot of this book was fine, but I just couldn't get over all the bad or unexplained science. It bugs me when authors make new science for their books and then don't explain it. There's a point when Skylar asks how engines on their ships work, and Jule brushes it off by saying he's not very into tech. That's just lazy writing. At least come up with something. At another point Skylar says she's millions of miles away from Earth. Honey, if you were millions of miles away, you'd probably be somewhere near Mars, maybe Jupiter, which you are definitely not. You're trillions of miles away. There is a big difference. And flying through the asteroid belt isn't like what they show in movies. It isn't so thickly populated that you have to make hundreds of adjustments to avoid anything. The asteroids are all so far apart, you can basically fly through there with little or no course adjustment. Also, I had a little bit of a hard time believing that she picked up the Kemyate language that fast. Sure, she doesn't have much else to do, but it seemed a little unbelievable given the time period in which she learned it, and how much she learned.
I liked most of the characters. I couldn't really connect with all of them, because some of them don't have very big parts, but all the major ones I was fine with. I can't say I loved any of them, but I didn't hate any of them either.
I do plan on reading the last book, but I really hope the author does better with her science, since it's been very poorly done in the last two books.
January 5, 2019
My heart is still racing
The Clouded Sky was frustrating, infuriating, exciting and heart-wrenching. I kept finding myself so engrossed while listening to the audiobook that I would forget what I was doing and stare of into space, picturing the scenes playing out as if I was really there. Needless to say, I didn’t even take a lunch break today, to make up for all of the zone out sessions I kept taking through the universe. The terror of feeling completely alone and isolated in an alien place, surrounded by strangers, felt real to me. It was as if I was problem solving, paranoid about details, hiding from enforcers, stuck in the middle of a romantic triangle and trying to save two planets myself. My heart is still frantic from that ending.
The Clouded Sky was frustrating, infuriating, exciting and heart-wrenching. I kept finding myself so engrossed while listening to the audiobook that I would forget what I was doing and stare of into space, picturing the scenes playing out as if I was really there. Needless to say, I didn’t even take a lunch break today, to make up for all of the zone out sessions I kept taking through the universe. The terror of feeling completely alone and isolated in an alien place, surrounded by strangers, felt real to me. It was as if I was problem solving, paranoid about details, hiding from enforcers, stuck in the middle of a romantic triangle and trying to save two planets myself. My heart is still frantic from that ending.
dnf
December 1, 2024I read half the book...the first book was interesting and caught my attention and I enjoyed the main character and the premise...so onward to book two.
This story is so utterly removed from the first book I had a challenge getting into it...too slow to get to anything worth the time...and the main issue is the 'pet' situation. It felt like the author couldn't come up with another reason, a clever idea, for the main character to be where she was and the pet thing was just too unacceptable to me...I was bored and finally had to stop...half way through the book and they were still on the main shuttle/space station...come on, where's the non stop action from the first book?
This story is so utterly removed from the first book I had a challenge getting into it...too slow to get to anything worth the time...and the main issue is the 'pet' situation. It felt like the author couldn't come up with another reason, a clever idea, for the main character to be where she was and the pet thing was just too unacceptable to me...I was bored and finally had to stop...half way through the book and they were still on the main shuttle/space station...come on, where's the non stop action from the first book?
May 22, 2019
The story picks up almost immediately after the ending of Earth and Sky. A mystery novel set in space. After residing with rebels in space, the police of the series, the Enforcers, are after Skylar and her group of alien friends. When someone leaks information to the Enforcers, Skylar is tasked to find out who that is. If you are a sci-fi fan, I strongly recommend The Clouded Sky to you. It is filled with mystery and an all-new alien planet.
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