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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
justice for nysus
Not my normal reading genre but something about the description pulled me in. Not sure if this is sci-fi/suspense or just a mild horror novel but either way it was a good story and kept me interested until the end. There were enough chills to give your a little zing of thrill but not graphic. I middle schooler could read this. May need to check out more from this author.
3.75 stars
Overall, a good read. I agree with other reviewers that the plot seemed like a mash-up between Aliens and Event Horizon. While I LOVE Aliens, I was hoping for a little bit more originality. I also agree that the childhood backstory for the main character was a bit overdone, it didn’t turn me off from the book like it did for others. I also agree that the romance plot was unnecessary but can understand why the author included it. The ending was ok to me. I didn’t feel it was lame/rushed as others did. The fact that not everything is explained is not unexpected given the memory gaps of certain characters. I don’t consider this a huge flaw because if every little detail was explained at the end, this would have felt too convenient. There were multiple creepy parts with a horror-like feel. However, I understand why people were disappointed with it not being scary enough (given the publisher’s synopsis). I just think my expectations for books labeled “horror” are lower than they once were. Very few books labeled as such actually are true horror. Although my rating is not extremely high, I would still recommend as a decent read.
Overall, a good read. I agree with other reviewers that the plot seemed like a mash-up between Aliens and Event Horizon. While I LOVE Aliens, I was hoping for a little bit more originality. I also agree that the childhood backstory for the main character was a bit overdone, it didn’t turn me off from the book like it did for others. I also agree that the romance plot was unnecessary but can understand why the author included it. The ending was ok to me. I didn’t feel it was lame/rushed as others did. The fact that not everything is explained is not unexpected given the memory gaps of certain characters. I don’t consider this a huge flaw because if every little detail was explained at the end, this would have felt too convenient. There were multiple creepy parts with a horror-like feel. However, I understand why people were disappointed with it not being scary enough (given the publisher’s synopsis). I just think my expectations for books labeled “horror” are lower than they once were. Very few books labeled as such actually are true horror. Although my rating is not extremely high, I would still recommend as a decent read.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Channels big Event Horizon vibes, but I enjoyed it. Spooky.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ghost ships in space, what’s the opposite of thalassophobia? That’s what I get from this book. I loved the imagery, the captivating story and the surprising brutality at times. Recommended for lovers of the game Dead Space, haunted house lovers or if you are just looking for something that has a unique premise!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF @ 8%
This was sold to me as Event Horizon meets Alien. Both great movies, so when this novel came around in my bookclub, I was all in. The only good thing about this book is that the author doesn't waste any time letting you know she sold you a bill of goods. I would instead describe this novel as Another Life meets Titanic, if Titanic were a cheesy melodramatic YA romance. Never heard of Another Life? It's one of my most-hated Netflix dramas starring Katee Sackhoff, where she leads a crew of whiney zoomers on a space mission while they question her authority at every turn. Sound familiar? S.A. Barnes watched that show and inserted the crew into her book, I'm sure of it. In fact, you can just read the reviews of Another Life and you get the gist of this book: They look and act more like the cast of a slick, youth-focused soap opera than the crew of a serious space mission, and their technical acumen mostly amounts to yelling at each other. Except this novel doesn't star Katee Sackhoff (the show's only redeeming quality). Instead we get Claire Kovalik, who manages to feel like an immature, "snarky" and "quirky" teenaged female lead, while somehow being in her 30s.
But wait, this YA novel in space wouldn't be complete without the melodramatic, cringey romance. You'd think after spending 26 months together in space, there would be ample ways to introduce a romance between two crew members in a way that feels organic (you know, "show me, don't tell me"). Well you'd be correct, if the author could write. But she can't, so she just tells you. After multiple conversations between these crew two members that are nothing more than polite friendliness, we get slapped in the face with, The warmth and affection in his voice set off this powerful and dangerous ache in me. [He] makes me feel like somebody. He makes me feel. Jesus. Is there anything more powerful, more dangerous than that?
I read a handful of pages after that and promptly DNF'd!
This was sold to me as Event Horizon meets Alien. Both great movies, so when this novel came around in my bookclub, I was all in. The only good thing about this book is that the author doesn't waste any time letting you know she sold you a bill of goods. I would instead describe this novel as Another Life meets Titanic, if Titanic were a cheesy melodramatic YA romance. Never heard of Another Life? It's one of my most-hated Netflix dramas starring Katee Sackhoff, where she leads a crew of whiney zoomers on a space mission while they question her authority at every turn. Sound familiar? S.A. Barnes watched that show and inserted the crew into her book, I'm sure of it. In fact, you can just read the reviews of Another Life and you get the gist of this book: They look and act more like the cast of a slick, youth-focused soap opera than the crew of a serious space mission, and their technical acumen mostly amounts to yelling at each other. Except this novel doesn't star Katee Sackhoff (the show's only redeeming quality). Instead we get Claire Kovalik, who manages to feel like an immature, "snarky" and "quirky" teenaged female lead, while somehow being in her 30s.
But wait, this YA novel in space wouldn't be complete without the melodramatic, cringey romance. You'd think after spending 26 months together in space, there would be ample ways to introduce a romance between two crew members in a way that feels organic (you know, "show me, don't tell me"). Well you'd be correct, if the author could write. But she can't, so she just tells you. After multiple conversations between these crew two members that are nothing more than polite friendliness, we get slapped in the face with, The warmth and affection in his voice set off this powerful and dangerous ache in me. [He] makes me feel like somebody. He makes me feel. Jesus. Is there anything more powerful, more dangerous than that?
I read a handful of pages after that and promptly DNF'd!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced