Gravity by Melissa West Publisher: Entangled Teen on December 18, 2012
Genres: Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Pages: 284
Format: eBook
Source: Blog Tour
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Rating:
In the future, only one rule will matter:
Don’t. Ever. Peek.
Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.
Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.
At A Glance
Loved the alien goodness, but some reasoning was way left field.
The Good
Aliens, people. We’ve got aliens! I don’t know why, but I love alien books. It’s such a scary concept for humans. If they ever come, are they going to superior to us? Are they going to be peaceful or aggressive? Well, Gravity gives us a peek at one possible outcome, and it’s not looking good for us.
The best part of this book is that you never really know who the bad guys are. At first you think the aliens (called the Ancients) are, then we see what the humans are doing to the aliens behind closed doors and you start to second guess things. Honestly, neither species is 100% innocent, and there is no obvious solution to the upcoming war. Either the humans let the aliens live with them and risk becoming slaves, or they fight against the take-over and possibly get annihilated, since the aliens are stronger and have more technology.
It’s cute how Ari and Jackson thought they could really stop the impending war all by themselves. Hey, they do try their darndest. I have to give props to Ari because she is one hell of a fighter. I love a heroine who can really fight, and she is even better than Jackson. That’s saying something since Jackson is an alien and stronger by nature.
The military and political parts brought this story to life. The alien abilities and history were fun to learn about. The action and fighting scenes totally kicked ass. The plot kept my attention the whole time and the writing was good. I can’t wait to read book #2.
The Bad
The biggest problem that persisted through the whole book was the fact that Ari trusted Jackson with the fate of her world with no good reason. All Jackson had to say is, “Hey, Ari, you have to tell me the human’s military strategy so I can tell my alien leader. I swear he won’t use it to destroy you all, and he will totally stop murdering your people as long as you share with me how you plan to take our species down. All will be well then, no way this can backfire in any way.” Seriously? SERIOUSLY? *head-desk*And Ari happily goes along with this because it seems so logical. If the reasoning got any thinner, you could slap it between two pieces of bread and eat it.
The Snuggly
The romance was just okay. Since I didn’t trust Jackson (and often with good reason) I couldn’t enjoy the budding romance like I wished I could. There is only a few stolen kisses, so very YA.
Final Thoughts
It feels like it’s been some time since I really enjoy a book. I really enjoyed this story. It wasn’t the most realistic every, but hell, it was entertaining and exciting. Very recommended.
Quotes
“You shouldn’t love me, but assuming you ignore me, like always, know this: I am absolutely, mind-bendingly in love with you. In every way. Every ounce of my body. My entire being…it belongs to you.”
Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes from Gravity:
-No one talks about it. No one talks about them at all. “The Ancients prefer discretion,” Mom once told me. But some say it’s because they’re so freakish we’d drop dead of fright. Others say they’re too attractive, too tempting.
I prefer this theory.
“Well, go ahead, try it on,” Jackson says as he leans against the wall beside my window, his arms crossed. “I won’t watch. Much.”
About Melissa West
Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.
She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway
kindlemom1
I thought this series would be too sci fi for me but now I am seriously second guessing that.
Great review!
Jennifer Bielman
Not at all. It has more action and romance than sci-fi.
Nikki J.
This sounds like an interesting read. I haven’t been one to read a lot of sci-fi/dystopian, and I’d like to give it a go. Love the cover.
Jennifer Bielman
Sci-Fi is not my main genre and I still loved this one.
Jaclyn Canada
I’m a sucker for alien stories as well. I’m with you, there’s just so many questions there that can take the story a ton of different ways. The reasoning is very shotty, but glad you loved the action and heroine enough that it was a great read for you. Excellent review!
Jennifer Bielman
Seriously! Aliens are just awesome. There is like no limit with them. so many possibilities.
Braine Talk Supe
I can’t deal with Aliens. I still need to meet an alien book that I like. I just can’t grasp the whole sci-fi bit behind it. Glad you loved it though.
Jennifer Bielman
Awww, you suck! lol. J/K I don’t think I ever gave an alien book 5 stars so I see what you mean.
Jessica @ a GREAT read
OOoh nice! I keep debating about starting this series and it sounds like I might have to! It sounds incredible! And I am really starting to love alien stories, though I am a complete chicken when it comes to believing in them and such. Mostly because we don’t really know if there’s far superior/intelligent life out there! And if one happens to be a hot guy like this Jackson, or Jennifer Armentrout’s Daemon, or Max from Roswell, or Daemon…….yeah…..I wouldn’t mind one paying me a visit! LOL!
Great review!
Jennifer Bielman
LOL, Seriously, you said the magic word. Max. I was obsessed with Roswell!!!!!!
Victoria
I’m intrigued! Sounds like a great story, thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Bielman
🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Lekeisha
So, yesterday I received my daily email from BookHub and this book was listed as free. I clicked to read reviews and decided not to get it. Sometimes those low ratings get to me and the few I read were extensive in detail. Now, I just read your review and I so want to read it. Yep, I just one clicked it. Nice review!
Jennifer Bielman
LOL, Well, I hope you end up loving it. I read the bad reviews and I understand where they are coming from, but sometimes you like books despite their flaws.
Giselle
I remember reading this one a while back and I really have no memory of it very much lol. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I do remember bits and pieces of the whole world, though. Anyways, it sounds like you had fun with it. I love it when the bad guys are not black and white and you never know quite who to trust! Great review, Jennifer!
Jennifer Bielman
I hate books I can’t remember. I remember like 95% of books. I just have that brain. When I can’t remember a book I take that as a bad sign.
Christy
“It’s cute how Ari and Jackson thought they could really stop the impending war all by themselves.”
LOL! Bit off more than they could chew, eh? You and your alien love.
Jennifer Bielman
LOL, seriously? can anyone say delusional!
Anna
It sounds like fun. Can’t wait to win. hehehe
Anna from Shout with Emaginette
Jennifer Bielman
🙂 Thanks for stopping by
Melliane
I have a problem with sci-fi you know, mainly when it’s about space, aliens and all… But I confess you’re intriguing me with this one. who knows? Maybe one day. thanks for the review!
Jennifer Bielman
I hope if you ever read it it works for you like it did me.
Mary Preston
I don’t read a lot of sci-fi, but this does pique my interest.
Jennifer Bielman
🙂 Gotta try new thing, you know.
Red Iza
I really loved your “bad” paragraph lol ! And I’ll read it anyway, because I love aliens too and it looks really good 🙂
Jennifer Bielman
Yay! another alien lover.
Red Iza
Wow, it was free, just bought it !
Jennifer Bielman
I didn’t even know that. That’s awesome!
Brandi Breathes Books
The cover is gorgeous and not knowing who is the bad guys sounds like it would keep on toes
Jennifer Bielman
It does! I love not bad but not good bad guys!
Lily B
so cool that this one is free, I picked it up because I love aliens and very curious.
Jennifer Bielman
Hells yeah for aliens!!!
Olivia
Not sure how I feel about this one. The idea of aliens and everything sounds amazing – I have only ever read one alien book (which I know I need to change!) and then I love the idea of this lovely romance. But I can’t stand it when a character does something for no apparent reason, it’s one of my bookish peeves! I don’t know whether I should try it now or not :/
Jennifer Bielman
I know, it’s hard to get over, but I think it’s worth the read, honestly.