Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Review: Across the Universe [Across The Universe #1] by Beth Revis

Across The Universe 
[Across the Universe #1]
Beth Revis
Released January, 2011

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming
-Goodreads

Thoughts:
Okay, here is the deal, I know that even though this book was released LAST January a lot of people have been doing reviews of it recently, but I have just gotten around to it and am completely following in their steps. I just can't help it, this book blew my frexing mind! And yes, I am using the word frexing because it totally grew on me while reading this and rolls off my tongue. I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book. I had read the reviews and the synopsis over and over but it wasn't until I was shopping around one day I decided to finally buy it. I was thrown in so many different directions, desperately trying to put the pieces together and right when I thought I may have it even half figured out I was thrown for a freaking loop. It was so much more than I thought it was going to be and I am more than ready to read A Million Suns [Across the Universe #2]. Okay, on with the review!
**** **** **** ****
Imagine this, a huge ship set to embark on a 300 year journey to another planet and your parents are going to be passengers. Great right? Totally exciting until you realize that they want you to come too, oh, and there is this little thing about being frozen while the ship makes it journey to the new planet. Amy has a choice in front of her, she can either get into one of those cold clear boxes that she just watched her mother and father be frozen in, or she can walk away and never look back. What would you do? While ever part screams to leave, the love for her mother and father sends her straight into her very own cold box to be frozen, only to awake once they arrive at this new planet promising a whole new life. Well, while Amy sleeps frozen everything changes, and almost drowning to death is the least of her problems when finally awaking aboard Godspeed.

Okay people. This book made my head spin. But in the good way, you know, like "Oh my god, how did they pull this one on me?!" First off, the whole idea of even being frozen and traveling 300 year away to some unknown planet is totally mind blowing in itself. Seriously, 300 frexing years! But what was even more mind blowing was the world that Beth Revis created. What really connected me to this story though was the back and forth narration of Amy and Elder. I am a huge sucker for books that gets in the mind of both the main characters.

Oh, I am sorry, I haven't even told you about Elder yet have I? I guess I also haven't told you about Harley or Eldest either then! Well let me fill you in, Eldest is the leader of Godspeed. He is pretty much a huge prick. Well, that is what I got from him anyway. Elder is the apprentice if you will, he is 16 and will have to take over leadership after Eldest steps down. He is also very endearing and manages to me root for him. I am sorry, I didn't connect to Elder as most people did. I had Harley on my brain. Harley is Elders best friend and a 'crazy' artiest that I fell in love with the second Beth Revis introduced him in the story. To be completely honest I was wanting Harley to be the one getting Amy. But I can't help that Harley is a stud muffin! I love my boys eccentric! Oh sorry, moving on...

This book was probably the first book I have read in awhile that wasn't completely focused on or around a love story. NOT to say there isn't a love story going on! There so is! But it was so much more focused on the tasks and mysteries at hand that I forgot all about a love story, and then when I did get a hint of it, it was just the right amount! I rarely read books that keep me hooked when I am not being focused on some sort of relationship building but this book accomplished it flawlessly. It makes you honestly put yourself in the situation. I felt the hopelessness and the anger. The fear shot through me like I was there, and that is how I knew this book was going to end with a bang.

And ending with a bang is exactly what this book did. The last 50 pages had me holding my breath and yelling at everyone in my house. You all have to know, that I was giving anyone and everyone in my house updates on this book while I read it, they were all as enthralled in it as I was and when I would yelp or eeep I would get questions like "What the hell happened?!" or "What did you know?!" and then I would just be all speechless and babbling. Like really, how am I suppose to explain this book without giving away major spoilers?! So, I am going to tell you all what I told everyone else. You have to read it yourself! Seriously. Go pick this book up. [:

Rating:
*****
Five Frexing Stars
[I just love that word!]

**** **** **** ****
Have you read this book? What did you thinking about everything and please, for the love of god, someone tell me they loved Harley as much as I did! 


15 comments:

  1. Great Review :) It kinda sounds like Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century meets Avatar meets Ender's Game . . . definitely up my alley!

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  2. I've got this on my TBR on audio book. I started listening to it a few months ago, but never finished. What I heard though sounded really good! Great review. :)

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  3. The first few chapters are kinda slow I will admit, it takes a second to fully immerse yourself in this crazy little world, but it is so worth it I promise! [:

    -ShawnaLeAnn

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  4. Harley is totally my favorite. I wanted him and Amy to get together.

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  5. Oh thank goodness!!! I fell for him instantly. Oh how I wish!

    -ShawnaLeAnn

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  6. I've seen the beautiful cover in a bookstore, and after reading the blurb, I want to read it. After reading glowing reviews, I REALLY want to read it! Great review! Definitely something new!

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  7. Ive heard a lot of really good things about this book, I cant wait until I have the chance to read it!

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  8. Oh I've heard some awesome things about this book. I recently won a copy and I can't wait to read it.

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  9. I've been wanting this book for a while, but have also not gotten around to it. Everyone loves it, but I've been a little worried it won't live up to the hype for me. I'm glad you liked it so much! Maybe I'll just have to bite the bullet and buy it. :)

    - Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl

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  10. LOVED THIS BOOK! It was my favorite read of 2011! Wish I have a copy of A Million Suns!

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  11. i have been DYING to read this, it's been talked about so much & the covers absolutely gorg... great review!

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  12. Great review! I've been dying to read this! :D

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  13. I'm getting this in the mail this week and I cannot wait to read it. I think it's going to be one of those books where I don't put it down until I'm finished. It sounds SO good and I've seen nothing but 5 star reviews for it on the blogs I read.

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  14. This is just an awesome review! I've read AtU last year and it's just as awesome as you said it is! Glad you liked it as much as I did!

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