Book Review: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

I’m standing at the fork in the road with this book. I can’t say I was wowed by the book but then I can’t say I thought it was crap.

Razorbill Publishing
Published July 30, 2013
338 Pages

Tavia Michaels is the only survivor of plane crash that killed not only 30 other people but also her parents. She is sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle emotionally damaged and fairly nonchalant. Although she should feel sheltered and alone she really isn’t; she has a decent relationship with her Aunt and Uncle and she is crushing on her best friend Benson. Everything seems okay for her until she begins seeing a boy with blond hair following her and telling her things aren’t quite what they should be.

So Tavia goes on the run to find answers and brings Benson with her because well he is the only one she can trust.

This wasn’t a bad book. It didn’t take long for things to get interesting but some things were predictable; mainly the teen love. Benson works at the library which I thought was awesome. He wasn’t a model, he wasn’t a rebel, he was a boy, a handsome boy that worked at the library and loved what he did. Tavia herself didn’t bother me. I only felt she was too okay with her parents death; like it didn’t shape her as much as I though it would. I understand its been two years but still I was expecting more grief I guess. There were maybe two scenes that she was shaken up about it for the most part but other than that you really couldn’t tell if their death really affected her.

Benson’s and Tavia’s love was predictable in the sense that when Tavia found out who the blond boy was things got really really complicated in which she had decide who she should choose. I don’t think that was necessary. Sometimes teenagers can be with one person . . .  for an entire series. Yes, there are complications which I’m okay with but bouncing back and forth its like come on! It actually reminded me off Melissa Marr’s “Wicked Lovely” series (This issue not the whole book).

Other than that I thought the book was creative. Pike tried to do something different with the whole fantasy theme. I thought this book was a lot better than “Wings“. I appreciated the fact that although Tavia was scared of her abilities, she picked up quickly and was more down to earth about her reality. I really loved that about Tavia.

The ending of the book was a great lead into the second book. I cannot complain about that even if I wanted to. Overall the book gets 8 out of 10. I’m interested to see how the next book will play out.

 

Tania Lasenburg is a communications major that plays video games and cyber stalks Gym Class Heroes. Follow her on twitter @mrztanyapickles

 

Book Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

goodreads.com

Laurel is a fifteen year old girl that has moved to a new town with her adoptive parents. There is no bad blood between her and her parents; nothing but warm love. Although Laurel has some weird eating habits and has yet to . . . develop in a woman, she is a normal girl . . . to the eye.

One day she gets a bump on her back. That bump grows and turns into a flower which turns into wings.

Now . . . when I initially saw this book I had zero interest. I picked it up because this series is quite popular. But I didn’t like it. The book was slow and the characters seem to be one dimensional. I understand that in a series book two or three answers questions but to be honest there was no questions that really needed to be answered but why was Laurel with the human world.

Although there was a bit of an action scene that involves the human boy Laurel is not sure if she just want to be friends with (-.-) and the fairy who was not only her best friend before she left but was someone that loves/loved her. Laurel has feelings for her human friend but also cannot deny the connection between her fairy. Although at the end of the book she chooses the human . . . you don’t need to read the next two books to know how it boils down.

I feel that the author tried to make Laurel’s story exciting but the fire wasn’t there. This book gets a 6 out of 10. The potential was there and it was frustrating that the author wasn’t able to follow through.