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bookwormerica's review against another edition
2.0
I gave this a 2 star bc it wasn't for me. My mind constantly wandered about. I had to force myself to concentrate and I'm not Used to having to that. Reading is my escape
evreardon's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, I really liked this. I’m not sure why the reviews aren’t at a higher average.
It was diverse. The world building was pretty incredible. It was a wicked cool concept.
However!
I felt that things were revealed a little too slowly. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with more info and it took FOREVER.
The only thing I didn’t really get was what did everyone else do for jobs? Where did other kids go to school? How did parents feel about their kids moving to other compounds for internship when there doesn’t seem to be a communal place to hang out with them?
Besides that I was super intrigued and only wanted to keep reading and reading and reading. And now that’s it’s over, OF COURSE I NEED THE SECOND ONE ASAP.
It was diverse. The world building was pretty incredible. It was a wicked cool concept.
However!
I felt that things were revealed a little too slowly. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with more info and it took FOREVER.
The only thing I didn’t really get was what did everyone else do for jobs? Where did other kids go to school? How did parents feel about their kids moving to other compounds for internship when there doesn’t seem to be a communal place to hang out with them?
Besides that I was super intrigued and only wanted to keep reading and reading and reading. And now that’s it’s over, OF COURSE I NEED THE SECOND ONE ASAP.
thedizzyreader's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this after a slew of poorly written YA sci-fi was like balm to my disappointed soul. Cole's story is slow going, but it actually has... science! Diverse and interesting characters! World building! The ending is well worth the wait.
In short, this book was everything I hoped it would be from reading the dust jacket. I can't wait to uncover more of the mysteries with Octavia and dive deep into Cole's sequel. What really happened when the humans first arrived? How did Octavia and her mother come by their gift? What will the Council do with Alma and Rondo?
In short, this book was everything I hoped it would be from reading the dust jacket. I can't wait to uncover more of the mysteries with Octavia and dive deep into Cole's sequel. What really happened when the humans first arrived? How did Octavia and her mother come by their gift? What will the Council do with Alma and Rondo?
stiricide's review against another edition
3.0
This is fine. Good not great, which as I've said before, is an important thing for YA in this genre.
sagenguyen's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
reflowering's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars
k, so there was a lot of things i really liked in this, but some things brought it down for me.
1. the slow pacing.
i actually don’t mind slow pacing most of the time as it’s normally done in ways i like, so for example: in a way that allows the world building to develop, exploring characters as well as backstories and letting the plot kind of seamlessly work it’s way into that and letting it flourish into this beautiful story.
however sadly, that’s not what i felt here. it took me a really long time to get past the initial 50% but after that, it was thankfully pretty smooth sailing.
2. the romance.
insta love has always been a pet peeve of mine and this case is no different. it may
not be insta love to both characters as they have known each other for years, but it’s literally said that they barely talk and then all of a sudden they are in the like second chapter and sparks are flying, she’s noticing him more, he’s noticing her more, they’re running into each other and whatever and i get it. i do. but i felt like it was a bit too fast paced and so we as the audience couldn’t really tell the dynamics of their relationship well? idk. i just feel like he was just there to have octavia be attached to something because besides hacking he had no relevance to the plot.
3. the writing?
idk. maybe i’m dumb or maybe i skim read a lot unconsciously (probably both) but i found it pretty hard to imagine Faloiv at times and fully immerse myself in the setting. although i will say since this is set in a different world and it’s science fiction, it heightens those stakes of it being difficult to get into and hard to read. also this one isn’t really the author’s fault. this is just how i feel about it.
4. plot twists
we all love a good plot twist. and this book did have a few. first on the list would be jaquot dying, which to be honest i’m pISSED i didn’t see it coming. he was what in movie terms would be the “comic relief” and everyone knows those characters are basically the first to get killed off. so i was a bit salty about it, until i realised, he’s probably alive. why do you think that? you might ask. well it’s because a) no one sees him being killed b) which means there’s no body and just a bunch of blood which could literally mean aNYTHING c) did i mention no one sees him dying?? cause that’s really fishy to me. also i predict for the second instalment that jaqout is gonna be alive and well and he’s going to help octavia somehow. like him not dying has massive implications as he’s probably been taken in by the Faloii and who knows? maybe he’s also like octavia. or maybe he’s able to help her achieve a goal she wouldn’t have had without insider info. either way, i’m willing to bet my wallet that something else happened to jaqout.
as for other plot twists, i kNEW her grandparents were alive lol. it was so obvious to me how they just disappeared into the jungle and never returned. plus the thing about her mum dying was a cLASSIC. idk what it is about YA authors and killing off their protagonist’s parents, like not everything has to resolve in the death of a parent, but i get it. you want them to grow and it helps them figure out stuff on their own.
and now for positives!!!
you may think from reading all of that that i had no positives, but i did!!
1. representation
you know i love my black representation so of course, i was thrilled to learn that octavia is black!! and so are loads of her other classmates. yaya is described as being darker than all the other girls, but easily the prettiest in the room and i think her main hairstyle is dreadlocks? either way, we love to see it!! alma is another black character who liked to ask a lot of questions about their hairstyles (in particular that one scene she asked about cornrows) and it made my heart bounce seeing so many black characters!! rondo is also black which !!! hELLO DO U KNOW HOW MANY AUTHORS HAVE BLACK LOVE INTERESTS FOR BLACK CHARACTERS?? YEAH BARELY ANY. so thank u ms cole for giving us representation. i appreciated it very much.
2. the plot
the plot in this was super intriguing. getting to know more about Faloiv and the Faloii and the animals, just everything was very interesting and i loved how well it was developed.
3. villains
you know i love a good villain. so of course i loved to hate on both octavia’s dad and dr albatur because they’re both extremely wrong in their way of thinking and it’s interesting seeing one man’s selfishness and greed dictate the fate of a whole planet.
4. the characters
i really liked that they were all different and their different motivations for being where they were. it was just so real to me and it felt realistic so that was another thing i really enjoyed.
ok this might be the longest review i’ve ever written but in short: this book was great and i really liked most things about it.
k, so there was a lot of things i really liked in this, but some things brought it down for me.
1. the slow pacing.
i actually don’t mind slow pacing most of the time as it’s normally done in ways i like, so for example: in a way that allows the world building to develop, exploring characters as well as backstories and letting the plot kind of seamlessly work it’s way into that and letting it flourish into this beautiful story.
however sadly, that’s not what i felt here. it took me a really long time to get past the initial 50% but after that, it was thankfully pretty smooth sailing.
2. the romance.
insta love has always been a pet peeve of mine and this case is no different. it may
not be insta love to both characters as they have known each other for years, but it’s literally said that they barely talk and then all of a sudden they are in the like second chapter and sparks are flying, she’s noticing him more, he’s noticing her more, they’re running into each other and whatever and i get it. i do. but i felt like it was a bit too fast paced and so we as the audience couldn’t really tell the dynamics of their relationship well? idk. i just feel like he was just there to have octavia be attached to something because besides hacking he had no relevance to the plot.
3. the writing?
idk. maybe i’m dumb or maybe i skim read a lot unconsciously (probably both) but i found it pretty hard to imagine Faloiv at times and fully immerse myself in the setting. although i will say since this is set in a different world and it’s science fiction, it heightens those stakes of it being difficult to get into and hard to read. also this one isn’t really the author’s fault. this is just how i feel about it.
4. plot twists
we all love a good plot twist. and this book did have a few. first on the list would be jaquot dying, which to be honest i’m pISSED i didn’t see it coming. he was what in movie terms would be the “comic relief” and everyone knows those characters are basically the first to get killed off. so i was a bit salty about it, until i realised, he’s probably alive. why do you think that? you might ask. well it’s because a) no one sees him being killed b) which means there’s no body and just a bunch of blood which could literally mean aNYTHING c) did i mention no one sees him dying?? cause that’s really fishy to me. also i predict for the second instalment that jaqout is gonna be alive and well and he’s going to help octavia somehow. like him not dying has massive implications as he’s probably been taken in by the Faloii and who knows? maybe he’s also like octavia. or maybe he’s able to help her achieve a goal she wouldn’t have had without insider info. either way, i’m willing to bet my wallet that something else happened to jaqout.
as for other plot twists, i kNEW her grandparents were alive lol. it was so obvious to me how they just disappeared into the jungle and never returned. plus the thing about her mum dying was a cLASSIC. idk what it is about YA authors and killing off their protagonist’s parents, like not everything has to resolve in the death of a parent, but i get it. you want them to grow and it helps them figure out stuff on their own.
and now for positives!!!
you may think from reading all of that that i had no positives, but i did!!
1. representation
you know i love my black representation so of course, i was thrilled to learn that octavia is black!! and so are loads of her other classmates. yaya is described as being darker than all the other girls, but easily the prettiest in the room and i think her main hairstyle is dreadlocks? either way, we love to see it!! alma is another black character who liked to ask a lot of questions about their hairstyles (in particular that one scene she asked about cornrows) and it made my heart bounce seeing so many black characters!! rondo is also black which !!! hELLO DO U KNOW HOW MANY AUTHORS HAVE BLACK LOVE INTERESTS FOR BLACK CHARACTERS?? YEAH BARELY ANY. so thank u ms cole for giving us representation. i appreciated it very much.
2. the plot
the plot in this was super intriguing. getting to know more about Faloiv and the Faloii and the animals, just everything was very interesting and i loved how well it was developed.
3. villains
you know i love a good villain. so of course i loved to hate on both octavia’s dad and dr albatur because they’re both extremely wrong in their way of thinking and it’s interesting seeing one man’s selfishness and greed dictate the fate of a whole planet.
4. the characters
i really liked that they were all different and their different motivations for being where they were. it was just so real to me and it felt realistic so that was another thing i really enjoyed.
ok this might be the longest review i’ve ever written but in short: this book was great and i really liked most things about it.
brandinh's review against another edition
4.0
More like 3.5 Stars. It was good and I was into the story, but something about it seemed off.
mbladams's review against another edition
4.0
Several YA authors have mastered science fiction, and this book adds another series that will become must-reads in sci fi. Octavia and her family live on N'Terra, after their home world is made uninhabitable. All she wants to do is become a scientist, a white coat, like her parents, and hang out with her friend. But life takes a surprising turn when she sees The Council kidnap a native of their new planet, and she realizes she may have more in common with the natives than she realized. There is a live interest, too, but it is more of a PG relationship than some YA novels, making this book appropriate for middle school readers.
marciafelis's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this book quite a bit! Seeing the world of Faloiv unfold was just as interesting as the actual plot, and I quickly found myself caring about the characters. I love the effort that went into imagining this ecosystem. However, I found some aspects of the antagonists' plans a bit predictable (and others clichéd), and the ending was also rather abrupt. I'm still interested in reading the sequel, though part of that may just be wanting to resolve the cliffhanger.
I find it hard to judge the portrayal of the Faloii from the instances they appeared in the book, as the readers get to know them through the lens of the N'Terrans, and that relationship is quite strained. Even the characters who do have good intentions can't be relied on to have a completely objective view, after all. Perhaps this will be explored more in the second book, though.
I find it hard to judge the portrayal of the Faloii from the instances they appeared in the book, as the readers get to know them through the lens of the N'Terrans, and that relationship is quite strained. Even the characters who do have good intentions can't be relied on to have a completely objective view, after all. Perhaps this will be explored more in the second book, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death
Minor: Blood
vickycbooks's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
Octavia's dream is to follow her parents' footsteps in becoming one of the esteemed whitecoats--the highest rank of scientists on the planet of Faloiv. She would be able to study the jungle's exotic plants and animals that are protected through the Council of N'Terra.
When the opportunity for an internship opens, Octavia is overjoyed until she learns of the extremist views of the new Council leader. He's growing in power, and when Octavia witnesses one of the indigenous people of Faloiv, the Faloii, being attacked by her kind, she knows there's more behind the Council than one might expect.
The shared planet has become a breeding down for political tension--one that might lead to a devastating war. With Rondo, a hacker boy she befriends, and Alma, her best friend, Octavia is going to discover the secrets behind their history, one that will reveal secrets about her own family as well.
This book was just so perfect. It was so well-written and balanced that I was astounded by the thought and skill that went into writing this book.
Although it was executed perfectly, I do know this won't be the book for some people. I personally enjoyed it very, very much, but others will feel differently.
This is a sci-fi novel that explores relationships between humans and other sentient beings on a foreign planet, the political relationships in a colony, imperialism, humane procedures for science, and many more subjects atypical to your regular fast-paced romantic space opera.
The pacing is definitely a lot slower at first, building the world and how people got there in a steady way without making it feel like an info dump. Eventually, at the end, things get a lot more heated and the novel ends almost abruptly with a big cliffhanger.
This novel is definitely partly a mystery, a large portion of it dedicated to solving the secrets the Council of N'Terra is hiding and what is happening to Octavia. She and her friends discovering the truth behind the lies helps reel you into the story, even if you're the type who likes a fast paced thriller.
I loved the characters--none of them seemed overly irrational and although all sorts of things were happening to Octavia, she was able to treat it with a level head. Her friends were all also extremely kind and helpful, even when they had their rough patches.
I also really liked the romance between Octavia and Rondo. It was very low-key and not plot inducing, which was very refreshing to read. They had a good relationship with respect and kindness (gasp!).
Also, the sheer amount of diversity in this novel was fantastic! A ton of people, including our MC, are people of color and it's generally embraced. This was really nice to see in the novel.
The actual plot and background to the novel was really interesting.I enjoyed learning about how they landed on Earth (with a spaceship away from the "Origin Planet") and how they wanted to leave.
The political subplot was super intriguing as well, both with the power dynamics and social hierarchy between the green and whitecoats and the science-focus on the planet as well as the relationship between humans and Faloii and the imperialism over the Faloii.
The plot twists were all adequately expected, although it was still a surprise to me because I doubted the validity of my assumptions.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable novel and I would recommend it to lovers of science fiction and mystery! Even though you might not like slower paced novels, I think this is definitely worth the read! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel.
Don't forget, you can preorder A Conspiracy of Stars now or find it at any major bookseller on January 2nd!
Thank you to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing me with a digital review copy!
Immediately after reading reaction:
WOW this is my kind of book. Politics, scientific discoveries, new species--I absolutely loved reading it! And that cliffhanger--eek! Full review to come!
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Octavia's dream is to follow her parents' footsteps in becoming one of the esteemed whitecoats--the highest rank of scientists on the planet of Faloiv. She would be able to study the jungle's exotic plants and animals that are protected through the Council of N'Terra.
When the opportunity for an internship opens, Octavia is overjoyed until she learns of the extremist views of the new Council leader. He's growing in power, and when Octavia witnesses one of the indigenous people of Faloiv, the Faloii, being attacked by her kind, she knows there's more behind the Council than one might expect.
The shared planet has become a breeding down for political tension--one that might lead to a devastating war. With Rondo, a hacker boy she befriends, and Alma, her best friend, Octavia is going to discover the secrets behind their history, one that will reveal secrets about her own family as well.
This book was just so perfect. It was so well-written and balanced that I was astounded by the thought and skill that went into writing this book.
Although it was executed perfectly, I do know this won't be the book for some people. I personally enjoyed it very, very much, but others will feel differently.
This is a sci-fi novel that explores relationships between humans and other sentient beings on a foreign planet, the political relationships in a colony, imperialism, humane procedures for science, and many more subjects atypical to your regular fast-paced romantic space opera.
The pacing is definitely a lot slower at first, building the world and how people got there in a steady way without making it feel like an info dump. Eventually, at the end, things get a lot more heated and the novel ends almost abruptly with a big cliffhanger.
This novel is definitely partly a mystery, a large portion of it dedicated to solving the secrets the Council of N'Terra is hiding and what is happening to Octavia. She and her friends discovering the truth behind the lies helps reel you into the story, even if you're the type who likes a fast paced thriller.
I loved the characters--none of them seemed overly irrational and although all sorts of things were happening to Octavia, she was able to treat it with a level head. Her friends were all also extremely kind and helpful, even when they had their rough patches.
I also really liked the romance between Octavia and Rondo. It was very low-key and not plot inducing, which was very refreshing to read. They had a good relationship with respect and kindness (gasp!).
Also, the sheer amount of diversity in this novel was fantastic! A ton of people, including our MC, are people of color and it's generally embraced. This was really nice to see in the novel.
The actual plot and background to the novel was really interesting.I enjoyed learning about how they landed on Earth (with a spaceship away from the "Origin Planet") and how they wanted to leave.
The political subplot was super intriguing as well, both with the power dynamics and social hierarchy between the green and whitecoats and the science-focus on the planet as well as the relationship between humans and Faloii and the imperialism over the Faloii.
The plot twists were all adequately expected, although it was still a surprise to me because I doubted the validity of my assumptions.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable novel and I would recommend it to lovers of science fiction and mystery! Even though you might not like slower paced novels, I think this is definitely worth the read! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel.
Don't forget, you can preorder A Conspiracy of Stars now or find it at any major bookseller on January 2nd!
Thank you to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing me with a digital review copy!
Immediately after reading reaction:
WOW this is my kind of book. Politics, scientific discoveries, new species--I absolutely loved reading it! And that cliffhanger--eek! Full review to come!
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