How I got a hold on the Starflight

I just felt like going on an imaginary space journey. That's all.

Going on a bumpy Milkyway

The fairytale of the young rich ball-gowned heir of a space empire and the tacky-yet-handsome felon takes a right-about turn and we're sailing on uncharted waters.
Am I a horrible human being if I say I didn't mind watching Doran as Demarkus beat the hell out of him? It is the very first I don't get along with the male character. In other cases I'm drooling all over them. In this case I'd rather spit him straightforward in the face. Gotcha!

Solara, on the other hand, can take her destiny in her own hands and not afraid of having the most arrogant, egoist, obnoxious, self-centered, careless, greedy (I let you look up all the words that describe a playboy) golden boy on toast. Well done little girl! It's good to have a female mechanic in the first row of male sexists. I can't detect any trace of damsel-in-distress. Do you?

Although they stated off on the wrong foot, it doesn't mean they can't turn over a new leaf. Absolutely not insta-love. But I wonder how much of this pure hatred can be transformed into a throbbing, smoldering, all-consuming love. I'd better not think about it too hard. The bottom of it they happen to be on board of a more than well-functioning ship. Who thought they had so much in common? I should add, that close-knit shuttle has something to do with the imminent sense of attraction. I am just saying...

There may have been some moments when I wished they were better off on separate paths. But all that running-away from the common enemy helped to boost the sparks between them and there was no turning back. Unless they would have fallen into a black hole...

Twinkling stars of the Starflight

—After the stuck-up fellon stopped eating exotics from the golden plate, Doran turned out to be a decent working mule.
—The thrilling manhunt across the galaxy.
—The makeshift mob of a "bespectacled kleptomaniac, a star-crossed seducer and his displaced princess, and an infuriating blue blood". Quite a golden team.
—Most importantly, the big Doran-smack-up. That's the climax of the entire story. I'm hoping in a great come-back.

And some shooting stars...

It's too soap opera for my taste with its resurrected twin-brother and all of it predictability, which took much from the stir-up. I don't go for cheap thrills.

P.S.
Although I'm not a fan of four-wall living space, it's pretty amazing traveling with the light speed of intergalactic imagination. I love space. Possibly I won't be the first to get married on the Moon but I'd love to circle around Neptune and Saturn just for fun.

"She had no idea what the future would hold for any of them, beyond possibilities as infinite as the stars."

How I feel after reading

On the fence.

Rating

3 out of 5

Songs

Coldplay - Sky full of stars

How I put my hands on Forget Tomorrow

I can't resist the beauty of book covers. It isn't such a massive crime, is it?

"But if there’s anything I’ve learned in the past couple days, it’s that we can’t live our lives in fear of the future. We have to make the right decision, for today, and trust that tomorrow will work itself out."

What if you discover some life altering fact in the future and you do your best endeavors to make it never happen but what's always meant to be?

a) run as far as you can, never looking back
b) go against the will of the universe
c) embrace your tomorrow

It never enters Callie's mind to sit tight and resign herself to Fate. Why would she? Everyone has free will and that's the one thing she's not willing to let go.
Having received the first memory from her future self, she chooses version b) that's why she happens to find herself locked up in a prison for aggressive delinquents just like her. It's okay as long as she's inhibited from killing her little sister. Oh yeah. Somewhere in the immediate future she'll murder her own flesh and blood. Her prospects are not reassuring.

“If you can fight the future, then I can let go of the past.”

Although time manipulation and looking-in-the-future thingy have always given me to do the math, I don't feel tangled this time. The story weaves its threads further and further but the whole picture is never messy. Thanks Heaven I haven't got lost in the maze of what-ifs and what-nots of future possibilities and scientific explanations. That would have been the point where I'd have waved goodbye to this book.

“If I had someone like you in my life, I would never leave to begin with."

The insta-involvement of a guy is implicit and there is no better match than a supposed-to-be-long-forgotten-yet-a-very-important childhood crush: Logan Russell. Her fortunes are on the rise when he rushes to the dungeon, snatches the girl and breaks out of the iron gates. It doesn't hurt he's the appointed leader of the resistance against the big ugly future-seeking dragon-agency.
I've missed the delicate foreplay of a blossoming all-powerful-love on their part but it's not my place to complain. I'd lie if I claimed I didn't enjoy every nano-second of their relationship. It's so simple between them. Simple is predictable. They haven't talked for five years. Today they do more than that. Simple doesn't break your heart. Duty calls to take them on different paths. Nonetheless they stick together. So yeah. Simple delights me. ;)

“I’m not your sister. I’m just a girl you haven’t spoken to for five years.”
He touches my cheek, briefly. “You’ve never been just a girl to me, Calla Lily.”

P.S.
I love PD's stark honest-to-goodness sentences. She explains the truths of the world in one phrase while others cram them in books filling shelves from bottom to ceiling.

“We’re in this together,” he says. “Whatever happens, I want you to remember that.”

After reading

Out of breath.

Rating

4 out of 5

How it became my booklover

Awesome book cover! You don't need further explanation, do you?

Welcome to the Shadoworld where you can't hide...

It's a darker version of the adventure of Rapunzel and Eugene from the Tangled, minus the vixen singing stepmother and tail-waggling Maximus. How cool is that?

In the world of magic that give you the willies, there are two desperate younglings, one of them is a kick-ass princess under cover, while the other is a fledgling inside an empty shell after he's been through.

Life lost its value over about seventeen years ago when Dwellers had occupied Relhok. Having survived so far is the most a person can come up with in her/his resume. What a blooming life career.

It's rather nice that her vulnerable yet badass nature fits perfectly to his emotional disinterest and raw toughness, like two sides of the same coin. I like the way she breaks the eggshell around him and gets to his core. People change, at least so I've heard.

Yet, I feel inferior to their intimate chit-chat and incessant groping. Ugh.

Not to mention the sinister atmosphere that weirds me out a bit. I just happen to find myself in a series of horror movies where some people have faces torn off while others poach little girls' heads. I hope they don't put them on their walls functioning as posters. I suggest you don't read it before taking a nap. Which I just did. Not a good idea.

Not exactly a life insurance to care about someone when Fowler has lost so many before. But it's good to know that he is a man after all and full of testosterone. He falls in love with the first chick he bumps into. Yet, his confession is still soul-searing and that's why I melted into a large body of puddle. Great job people!

"The world was a merciless place. Hard and cruel. Except when you found someone to trust and love."

Rating

3 out of 5

Cara arrives to l'eihr.
Aelyx makes a splash on Earth.

She tries to blend in.
He's far too noticable.

She'll never be one of them.
He'll never be welcomed.

Intergalactic love –blazing stars of the universe

Maintaining a long distance relationship is hard enough on general ground but what if a whole galaxy seperates the youngs madly in love with each other?

Cara's spitfire personality is mere different than people of Aeigis got used to. The auburn mane, freckles all over her face mark Cara as the strangest creature in the universe. Although she has to face some serious hostility, she sticks to the plan of forming an alliance between Earth and Aeigis in favour of saving human kind. So noble of her.

Meanwhile Aelyx is eager to put the alliance across so he can return home and to Cara as soon as possible. In the meantime, he is trying not to die due to the cuddling hospitality of his mundane hosts.

Over the hills and far away

Apart from the ethnic differences, which is hard enough to cope with, they're at loggerheads, problems are waiting to be solved. They don't see eye to eye in the matter of where they should built their cosy nest together. Obviously Cara doesn't feel home on his dull planet that is devoid of human emotions and Aelyx doesn't get why anyone would make a permanent home on her lively-all-clolourful-Earth. The first division in their otherwise fruitful relationship. It's a pitty I can't see them together. But! It's a nice whisp of air in the trilogy. I love a bit down-to-earth science-fiction. Their bickering gives authenticity to the otherwise make-up, travelling-between-worlds-at-lightspeed backstory.

Between earth and infinite sky

Cara makes up her mind and though her heart is shattered, she has no choice left but making a clean break with Aelyx. A bit of sorrow mixed in her emotions. Why is she the one who needs to give up everything for him? It should be the other way round. Her return to home proves to be a lot harder than she ever thought to be. But put the bitter sweet aside, both of their worlds are in danger. Another alien race threatens to swipe out the life of their planets. My head is spinning in this newly emerged alien-swamped empire.

"I know how humans love. Their passion burns like a lump of sugar—quick and hot. And when the fire dies, they seek a new flame. They chase sparks instead of collecting the warmth of old embers.”

Constellations in the ever-changing universe

Personally I travel on an emotionally roller-coaster all along: I simultaneously feel fear for Cara and Aelyx, abashment by David's treachery and sympathy for Syrine. Losing someone twice in a row is a huge kick in the ass. There's isn't such thing as justice on Earth...maybe she'll be luckier on Aeigis. If it wouldn't be enough,  my heart sinks to the bottom when Aelyx nearly winds up dead. But to my claim for compensation, the big reunion with his Elire gives me goose-bumps.

Hitch the wagon to a star

Cara makes the world govaround in the brand-new alien government at seventeen without graduation or any sea change brought to the table. We (plain boring human beings) never have the chance to live the dream in posession of MSc but she's lived enough to suffice her ambitions and hit the jackpot in a legislative body influencing lives of millions.

It's only a matter of time that higher intelligentsia will peer down to our earth and it'd be our turn to make a wish-list...then mine would be that I can breath underwater. That would be awesome! With the little fish and everything...

Favourite scene: There's no more effective way to show Cara how much he missed after months of separation than a simple 'Get over here' and a long session of making out afterwards. <3 <3 <3

"In choosing to settle on another planet, I’m letting go of one dream to embrace another."

Rating

5 out of 5 (What else?)

You may also like : Rick Yancey - The 5th Wave

Look how it gets started

Melissa Landers - Alienated

Entwined

One of my friends recommended it to read. Without further questioning I plunged into reading.

My lover

Nope.

Expectations

Well, I was simply impressed by its cover. I'm into this universe beyond our planet stuff. Stars are mesmerizing. I could stare them all night. Go out and see yourself.

Intergalactic adventure

'I can’t help but wonder how many times over I would’ve died out here without Tarver keeping
me alive.'

The stormy  relationship of Tarver an 18-year-old war hero and Lilac the heiress of the flourishing LaRoux industry set off rather unsmoothly. They end up on an uncharred planet in the galaxy after the tragic downfall of the Icarus light-years away from their home. Lilac true to her ladylikeness stripped of the comfort she's used to could only rely on the Major who handles their misfortune practically. A real survivor.

Denying their apparent affection Lilac tries to get him out her mind due to her overprotective father. During their way to the shipwreck in hope of finding rescue ships it's Tarver the classical hero figure is in charge of their two-member team. Despite of his young age he didn't merit his medals for nothing. If it weren't for him Lilac LaRoux the richest girl of the galaxy wouldn't make it. She's never experienced such harsh conditions of nature and soon she has blurry visions about the deceased haunting her. Nevertheless Tavern keeps her alive and prevents her from going mad.

The desperation and lack of faith can be easily sensed while wandering on an unknown planet just the two of them. There's little chance anyone will come for them. It's more likely even Google wouldn't find them.
More and more questions are being formed in their minds. Why nobody shows up? Why are they the only habitants of the planet? Is Tarver going mad, too? Or there's a mysterious force underneath the brisk plain of this terraformed planet? It's most likely a higher form of intelligent life they have to deal with.

'You're dead'
'Hey, no need to rub it in.” Alec grins easily. “Happens to the best of us, T.'

Observations

The story kept me in the dark for a very long time. I had no clue where it was going. However, I  wasn't too worried about their lives due to the sneak-peak fragments between the chapters which inflict they survived after all. Such a spoiler.

What I miss is the lack of conversation between Lilac and Tarver.
It feels like a never-ending journey consisting of almost-to-dies, freezing-to-deaths and am-I-going-crazy?s in a tense silence. It's nearly deafening. I miss you old exclamations, declarations and negations! Come back to me my dearest friends!

Out of action

It's all good and sweet that upon the impact of their abandonment Lilac becomes a better person, a survivor who doesn't care about her old, glinting, fancy world anymore but I'm not impressed by their relationship. I cann't count on their cosmic love because it's everything but cosmic. And I know it because I don't root for them. Though I adore good love stories. It's more like dammit-we-stuck-up-here-and-you're-the-only-representative-of-the-opposite-sex-let's-kissing kind of thing. Wow, that's a statement!
Anyway. I've expected a little more excitement or mystery. Even though Lilac has been brought back to life miraculously after she bled out in Tarver's arms I still don't get the point. Yep, an intelligent life of an another dimension saved her life and preserved her. Yep, they returned home safe and sound. Yep, her father is a jerk. Big deal.

I wonder how it's gonna continue. However, it's probable I'd never knew...

Out of place

It's really creepy with all the dead bodies lying around and the translucent fading copy of Lilac on top of it. I feel like I'll hear whispers filling my ears soon. I suppose my imaginary friends are more than enough;)

How I feel now

Haunted.

To sum up

I need a teenage-love story in the real world NOW!

P.S. I love the cover, by the way. A huge fat thank to the illustrator!

'For a moment the
image before us is frozen: our world, our lives, reduced to a handful of broken stars half lost in
uncharted space. Then it’s gone... Until all that’s left is us.'

Songs recommened

Coldplay - A Sky full of stars

https://youtu.be/zp7NtW_hKJI

Axwell - Centure of the Universe

https://youtu.be/_cscE3kwagw

One Republic - Counting Stars

https://youtu.be/hT_nvWreIhg

Starring

Can you imagine Dylan O'brian playing Tarver? The emotional side of the story would be acted out well, at least. As for Lilac I'd give a chance to Molly C. Quinn a young charming and talented actress. She wouldn't need to dye her hair for sure.

Rating

2 out of 5
(Out of generosity)