Just Finished Reading … Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike
Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike
To be published by Razorbill
on July 30, 2013
Source: bought
Summary from Goodreads: Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. Tavia will soon discover that she’s an Earthbound—someone with the ability to create matter out of nothing—and that she alone holds the key to stopping the Reduciata, an evil society that manipulates global events for its own shadowy purposes. Tavia will ultimately have to make a choice: to come into her powers and save the world from the evil Reduciata or to choose free will and a love of her own.
My take: Earthbound had pros and cons for me. On the plus side, it was engaging and easy to read. Tavia, who has just lost her parents in a plane crash, was a character I immediately felt empathy towards. I especially loved the dynamic between Tavia and Benson, the cute, slightly nerdy librarian she befriends after moving in with her aunt and uncle. They had a nice friends-with-chemistry vibe that I enjoyed.
When Tavia starts having visions of a mysterious boy from the past, I was intrigued. She and Benson begin to investigate, realize she’s in danger, and are soon on the run. I have limited patience for “on the run” plots, but this one actually kept my interest … to a point. There was a lot of “mysterious this” and “mysterious that” and being chased. After about 250 pages, the reader is clued in to what’s going on. But because the book is almost over, the explanation for all the supernatural stuff is pretty basic, mostly limited to what’s in the blurb: there are some good guys and some bad guys and that they’ve been locked in combat for centuries, and the bad guys “manipulate global events for shadowy purposes”. These “shadowy purposes” remained both vague and hyperbolic, like a movie trailer voiceover. At one point, a character actually tells Tavia, “You are humankind’s last hope.” Then there’s the love triangle. It wasn’t a huge issue for me in this installment, but those readers who have had it up to here with love triangles may disagree. And I’m guess things will get more triangle-y in future books…
So while I wasn’t wildly in love with Earthbound, I’ll remain cautiously optimistic. I’ll try to read the second book in the hopes that it will offer a more than a hand wave-y explanation of Tavia’s powers and the two factions and what it all means. I’m also hopeful that the love triangle won’t become a problem. I’m offering up my copy for Freebie Friday tomorrow. Be sure to stop by!
I like hearing that Benson is a librarian-that's hot! I do like Pike's writing (Life After Theft) but the plot for this one isn't super-engaging to me so I think I'll be skipping it.
I know — every since Giles in Buffy I've loved those librarian characters!
I think on the run books have the same issues as quests… which you have nicely defined for me in the past. The characters are constantly moving, but the action feels superficial, because they don't stay still long enough to learn the information that makes these interactions meaningful.
As long as there is character development, I'm good. But for me, running around doesn't substitute for a plot or character development…
I don't generally have issues with on the run books so I think I'll enjoy this. However, the "mankind's last hope" thing kind of worries me because if it isn't true, than the story is trying to be greater than it is. I'll still try this book though.
-P.E. @ The Sirenic Codex
Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what the stakes are. There's some kind of mysterious virus, but all in all, this book felt like part of a larger whole with a lot of questions unanswered….
There are a few red flag things for me in your review but I have to say I already decided this wasn't for me at "visions of a mysterious boy from the past". I've just read that too many times already and it doesn't usually pan out in that interesting a way.
But I do like the sound of her BFF!
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I love the "friends with chemistry" thing!
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the history of Tavia and the whole conspiracy. But dude, that guy totally took me by surprised at the end.
Great review! I really hate it when it becomes a love triangle type of book but I'm really excited to pick this one up.
Happy Reading 🙂
Patrick @ The Bookshelves
I feel the exact same way about this book. I thought it was a solid first in a series that gave you a lot to think about for subsequent books, so I will probably keep reading the series.
Kate @ Ex Libris
I've been really curious about this book for a while. I don't really like triangles, at all, but lately I've been able to suffer threw them 🙂 Great review!
Janina @ Synchronized Reading
On my to read soon shelf so I skimmed. I've been waiting for the right mood to start it. I see you are reading Crown of Midnight! I hope you love it!
Sabrina @ I Heart Y.A. Fiction
This sounds interesting. I don't mind love triangles if there is a good reason for them. I don't like being so left in the dark about things though. I need a little more explanation to why things are how they are. Even if it's just a little. Great review babe!
Sorry you weren't madly in love with it but glad it was easy enough to read
I still haven't read Wings by this author so I don't have much to go by as to the writing but this one does have an interesting concept. I can not stand books without much explanation and the love triangle sounds a bit frustrating. Thanks for an honest review!
Alise @ Readers in Wonderland
I was pretty excited to read this but I"m discouraged to hear about the beginnings of a love triangle, and the hand wavy explanations might annoy me. Ah well, I'll still give it a go! Awesome review, this made me laugh 🙂
Saw this one on other blogs too and it does sound intriguing.
Thanks for your honest review.
Andreea
I want to give this book a try no matter what just because I love the cover to much to say no – i know its terrible but I'm a sucker for good covers. and is it just me or does the girl on the cover look just like lily collins.
THanks for the honest review
http://www.daydreamerN.blogspot.com
*sigh* So, it sounds about like her other series. Which I liked a lot more when I read it two years ago than I know I'd like it now. I just need more from a book these days than a cursory explanation that doesn't really explain anything at all. And the love triangle. Why? Cute, nerdy librarian guy would be IT for me. 😛