Scan barcode
agniesken's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
poppymonster's review
5.0
This was such a unique take on life on an alien planet. The author did a fantastic job with world building, including the little things that we take for granted. I will say, it seemed a bit unrealistic that the FMC was surviving on so little fluid intake.
This book had some enemies to lovers vibes and an interesting dynamic when the real relationship began. The MMC had a disability, so his grumpiness, in the very unforgiving world the author created, was perfectly understandable. Nothing about this book was relaxing - it was all cold hard realism. I’m a sucker for reading traumatic stories and love when authors are unapologetic in making terrible things happen.
I rated this book high primarily because of the world building and FMC development.
Spice on 1-5 scale: 2/5
TW: starvation/dehydration, violence, mention of SA, death of side characters, sex work (not MC)
This book had some enemies to lovers vibes and an interesting dynamic when the real relationship began. The MMC had a disability, so his grumpiness, in the very unforgiving world the author created, was perfectly understandable. Nothing about this book was relaxing - it was all cold hard realism. I’m a sucker for reading traumatic stories and love when authors are unapologetic in making terrible things happen.
I rated this book high primarily because of the world building and FMC development.
Spice on 1-5 scale: 2/5
TW: starvation/dehydration, violence, mention of SA, death of side characters, sex work (not MC)
tallyhotel's review
4.0
I finished this book about 24 hours ago...and it just now occurred to me that this book is like the distant cousin to The Last Hour of Gann. Same ideas, just less....*intense*. I absorbed this book in one sitting, and the end was just
sharpsilver's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
bookish_caprice's review
5.0
Amazing and unique!
I loved the new story by Lydia Hope. I was hooked with the author with the Homeboud.
I adore the way Lydia Hope writes and creates worlds and descriptions, it’s unique and intriguing.
This is a story first with romance on the side slowly building.
It’s very difficult to find such stories in Sci-Fi genre that include romance on the background. If you’re are looking for instant love and fated mates this is not your book.
The story can go a bit darkish which I love as well, it brings the edge and excitement and ensures you keep reading.
It’s definitely going to be on my favourite shelf now to read and reread again.
Now I just can't wait for a new book to see what happens next!
I loved the new story by Lydia Hope. I was hooked with the author with the Homeboud.
I adore the way Lydia Hope writes and creates worlds and descriptions, it’s unique and intriguing.
This is a story first with romance on the side slowly building.
It’s very difficult to find such stories in Sci-Fi genre that include romance on the background. If you’re are looking for instant love and fated mates this is not your book.
The story can go a bit darkish which I love as well, it brings the edge and excitement and ensures you keep reading.
It’s definitely going to be on my favourite shelf now to read and reread again.
Now I just can't wait for a new book to see what happens next!
nessa_d33's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
chaibby's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
pugluver11's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall, this book was pretty good and I don't have any regrets reading it. However, the romance wasn't for me. I prefer my fictional men to be kind and considerate. I wouldn't describe Zoark in that way until maybe the last few pages. It was also hard for me to root for Addie and Zoark because their scenes together were few and far between. What made me keep reading was the captivating world, the dynamics of the tribe, and the friendships Addie made along the way. Hope captured Addie's feelings of loneliness well. I really felt for her being the only one of her species on a strange planet. Her friendships with Melmie and Ohna warmed my heart! I'm a sucker for the found family trope. I found it fascinating to learn about the For tribe's customs. However, the book did drag at a few parts. There was a lot of packing, walking, going to the sands to bathe, and of course, gathering herbs. At times, the descriptions of the tribe's daily routine felt repetitive. I think this book could've been a great deal shorter. I'd recommend this book to someone who likes their MMCs on the gruffer side and doesn't mind a very slow burn.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault
fantasyfandomm's review
5.0
What a great well rounded book. It was such a pleasant surprise! I want to read more from this author for sure. I wanted the wrap up and all the mushy HEA or setting up for a next book because I don’t want to say goodbye to these characters.
Cover: 5/5
World building: 6/5
Characters: 5/5
Flow: 5/5 perfection. It was a journey and I was right next to her.
Overall plot: 5/5
Tension: 3/5 I wish there was more heat in the beginning but I respect the build up. Once it gets there it’s amazing
Would recommend?: absolutely
Would read again? In a heartbeat
Total: 29/30
My rating scale
5 stars daaaayuuum that was a great book. My world was darker without this book and now I see in brighter colors. I WILL be rereading and I WILL be talking to my coworkers about this tomorrow who couldn’t care less about reading but I don’t care because THE WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW HOW GOOD THIS IS.
4 stars aiight it’s a good book. I’ll likely reread but my husband may hear of the book, coworkers saved.
3 stars I likely audibly said “meh” and felt disappointed by the book but enjoyed the overall premise
2 stars I’m not mad, just disappointed. You had so much promise and just…yeah…
1 star they say if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. So…that’s my review.
Cover: 5/5
World building: 6/5
Characters: 5/5
Flow: 5/5 perfection. It was a journey and I was right next to her.
Overall plot: 5/5
Tension: 3/5 I wish there was more heat in the beginning but I respect the build up. Once it gets there it’s amazing
Would recommend?: absolutely
Would read again? In a heartbeat
Total: 29/30
My rating scale
5 stars daaaayuuum that was a great book. My world was darker without this book and now I see in brighter colors. I WILL be rereading and I WILL be talking to my coworkers about this tomorrow who couldn’t care less about reading but I don’t care because THE WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW HOW GOOD THIS IS.
4 stars aiight it’s a good book. I’ll likely reread but my husband may hear of the book, coworkers saved.
3 stars I likely audibly said “meh” and felt disappointed by the book but enjoyed the overall premise
2 stars I’m not mad, just disappointed. You had so much promise and just…yeah…
1 star they say if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. So…that’s my review.
fic_it's review
4.0
A Very Good Read!
This story might be about aliens but it is unabashedly political and in your face with the “human-ness” of it all. These characters live and breathe the embodiment of all sorts of different types of human spirit.
The optimistic almost innocent qualities of Addie.
A savage and unapologetic will to survive and overcome all odds to do so, Z.
The budding young woman who managed to stay afloat even in the storm of her own mothers manipulations and mechanisms, M.
The true born Queen who understood, at its most base, what it was to be a woman in this tribal society and even still, effortlessly held the ear of the many and the ability to make change whenever she chose to add her voice, O.
These are just a few examples. I’m each character we meet in this we are introduced not only to their character but unravel what it is they stand for. What it is they unconsciously embody. They are alien, but you can only see how human they all are. (Even the crazy priest)
A very good read. I wish there had been a Epilogue. I wanted to *cough* *spoiler* *cough* meet the you-know-what at the end. If you know, you know.
* * * * *SPOILERS!!!!* * * * *
The only thing I have to say is how confusing the beginning is. And I’m not even sure if that might have been my fault bc of how subtlety this author can explain things in hints and inferences. My biggest issue was Samantha. A human. How did she get to Planet Zero? Addie said she crashed on a ship with 3 others aside from herself, there was a girl who died and two guys who also both died. Addie was the only survivor from the crash. She detailed that her crews crash had been an accident on their way to another planet destination. So how did Samantha a human get on planet? Where did she come from? The City of Seraphim is also poorly described. The women there are constantly referred by all including Addie herself as “the women” but some of them sounded For and others didn’t seem like it. Like Anne or Iolanthe (or whatever the “queen” of that city was). There were almost like these inferences these woman were different. Like with how Addie knew so little For bc Iolanthe had difficulty with the language too and made everyone learn English. Idk, again, maybe I read those chapter too quickly. But it’s been NAGGING ON ME. Bc HOW did Z mate a human if there were none before Addie arrived??? Bc a hunting party found Addie and the survivors of her wreck and took them back and this was after Z had already left. So how the fck in Samantha? Anyone???
End of rant lol!
Side, side, note: I wish there was more romance. All the love in this was very anxty and I swear it wasn’t until the last 6 chapters the main characters finally fessed up to even liking each other romantically. Ugh. Enemies to lovers but without the slow-burn. It was all self-loathing, doubt, angst, fear and even hatred- just not the good kind.
This story might be about aliens but it is unabashedly political and in your face with the “human-ness” of it all. These characters live and breathe the embodiment of all sorts of different types of human spirit.
The optimistic almost innocent qualities of Addie.
A savage and unapologetic will to survive and overcome all odds to do so, Z.
The budding young woman who managed to stay afloat even in the storm of her own mothers manipulations and mechanisms, M.
The true born Queen who understood, at its most base, what it was to be a woman in this tribal society and even still, effortlessly held the ear of the many and the ability to make change whenever she chose to add her voice, O.
These are just a few examples. I’m each character we meet in this we are introduced not only to their character but unravel what it is they stand for. What it is they unconsciously embody. They are alien, but you can only see how human they all are. (Even the crazy priest)
A very good read. I wish there had been a Epilogue. I wanted to *cough* *spoiler* *cough* meet the you-know-what at the end. If you know, you know.
* * * * *SPOILERS!!!!* * * * *
The only thing I have to say is how confusing the beginning is. And I’m not even sure if that might have been my fault bc of how subtlety this author can explain things in hints and inferences. My biggest issue was Samantha. A human. How did she get to Planet Zero? Addie said she crashed on a ship with 3 others aside from herself, there was a girl who died and two guys who also both died. Addie was the only survivor from the crash. She detailed that her crews crash had been an accident on their way to another planet destination. So how did Samantha a human get on planet? Where did she come from? The City of Seraphim is also poorly described. The women there are constantly referred by all including Addie herself as “the women” but some of them sounded For and others didn’t seem like it. Like Anne or Iolanthe (or whatever the “queen” of that city was). There were almost like these inferences these woman were different. Like with how Addie knew so little For bc Iolanthe had difficulty with the language too and made everyone learn English. Idk, again, maybe I read those chapter too quickly. But it’s been NAGGING ON ME. Bc HOW did Z mate a human if there were none before Addie arrived??? Bc a hunting party found Addie and the survivors of her wreck and took them back and this was after Z had already left. So how the fck in Samantha? Anyone???
End of rant lol!
Side, side, note: I wish there was more romance. All the love in this was very anxty and I swear it wasn’t until the last 6 chapters the main characters finally fessed up to even liking each other romantically. Ugh. Enemies to lovers but without the slow-burn. It was all self-loathing, doubt, angst, fear and even hatred- just not the good kind.