Yearly Archives:: 2013

I received this book for free from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

Guys! This is not a story about a girl flying in space in a dress! That’s only in the first chapter. I swear!

Actually, most of this book is a survival story. After a crash land on an anonymous planet, Tarver and Lilac have to find a way to get along and stay alive amongst the wild animals and Lilac’s questionable state of mind. It’s not a fast paced read, but rather a slow trek on this mysterious planet full of whispers, visions, ghosts, and other bizarre happenings. This is what keeps it completely enthralling. You get that constant need to read just one more chapter to try and get some answers as to what exactly is happening in this weird place. Is Lilac going insane, or are the voices real?

Told in dual point-of-views, we get the story from polar opposite perspectives. Tarver is on his turf. He was trained to survive in situations like these. He’s an award winning leader and expert in motivating people, pushing them to do what is needed to survive. I really enjoyed his strength, his drive, and especially his patience with Lila who, on a completely different standpoint has never been close to being in a situation like this where a ball gown is impractical and things are…. dirty. The character growth that Lila goes through during this ordeal is impressive, and frankly I was so thankful for it. I could have slapped her at the beginning, but she really changes completely until I came to fully adore her. As expected, there’s a romance that sprouts between these two. It’s sweet and genuine, bringing out an emotional side to the story that becomes fairly monumental when certain unexpected turn of events are strung out at us. I really really wish I could talk about these! *forcefully keeps her mouth shut*

In addition to the dual POV we also get interview sessions between each chapter. These are very brief but full of hidden meaning. I both loved and hated them, however. I disliked them because it tells us from the start that they were rescued and are now being questioned about what happened on the planet. This makes the anxiety in regards to them surviving a little less so. On the other hand, they deepen the mystery just a smudge more when we see Tarver being so strongly interrogated. You just know what they saw on that planet – what we’re about to find out – is worth this much scrutiny. In regards to the plot, I can’t say much obviously, but it becomes fairly mind-boggling as far as the sci-fi aspect. Some of it I’m still putting together, but overall I was quite impressed with the originality and imaginative nature of it all. Still, this sci-fi conspiracy side of the book was not my favorite – for personal taste more than anything. The main reason I loved it is due to the character oriented, suspense-filled survival story that encompasses 90% of it. Therefore, I’m not sure what I will make of the series as a whole (edit: apparently the others are companions so I’m excited!), but as far as this first installment I couldn’t get enough!

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