Friday, October 19, 2012

Blog Tour ~ Gravity by Melissa West Review + Giveaway!


I'm excited to be part of the Gravity blog tour hosted by Itching For Books! 
You can follow the full tour HERE
Check out my review and enter to win a signed book and swag open to US residents!



Gravity by Melissa Wright

Release Date: October 30, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing 
Pages: 199
Genre: YA Aliens Sci-Fi
Source: eARC from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Haunt Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter

In the future, only one rule will matter: Don’t. Ever. Peek.
Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed--arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.
Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know--especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.  

Don't ever peak. In 2140, aliens, called Ancients, have come to earth. Well actually they travel through portals. Each night, Ari, as well as everyone else, must put on their patch blindfold that paralyzes them, and allow the Ancient assigned to them to enter their bedroom for The Taking. One night Ari loses her patch and opens her eyes to see her classmate Jackson hoovering above her. Ancients are not supposed to be living undercover and she knows she should report him to her father, The Commander, but first she wants to get answers from him. Jackson he explains that he needs her help because his people are ready to acclimate and live among the humans, and if earth does not agree, war will ensue.

The world building was very intriguing but still sometimes I was lost with some unanswered questions. I was a little confused why the Ancients needed to take the nutrients from humans every night? Did they not eat? The Ancients did say they needed to come to earth because they were out of water but I wasn't sure why they have to take nutrients every night. The humans began studying the Ancients and performing horrible experiments on them. The Ancients don't need water since their bodies are made of xylem so the humans believe they were lying and are trying to take over earth. I wondered why Ari never once really sat down and discussed these things with her father, The Commander. She is supposed to be learning to take over his job and one day but I felt like she was in the dark with everything happening. I never fully got an idea of why the aliens wanted to live on earth or why the humans didn't trust them. I do hope to learn more in the next book.

As the daughter of The Commander, Ari was raised with a lot of pressure to follow in his footsteps. She has had the best of training so she is very kick ass. Ari is supposed to marry the President's son, Lawrence, to enable a very strong leadership/partnership. They have a very important future planed protecting earth from the Ancients but Ari can't stop thinking of Jackson. Her dad's entire life is based on protecting the earth from his kind. Jackson was witty, kind of cocky, and sweet, but I felt things moved a bit fast. I guess part of that was that Ari always fantasized about the Ancient assigned to her for the Taking which was kind of surprising to me because I think I would be scared about anal probing and other weird alien mojo! Since the alien comes into my room at night while I'm out of it. lol That part was a bit freaky! The alien just hoovers above the person but does have the potential to take until death. It didn't feel too love triangley but I felt like Lawrence really cared about Ari and that they had potential but Ari sees him as a friend only. Ari spends most of her time with Jackson trying to help him stop a war.

Jackson held back some important information and I thought Ari trusted him way too much. I just don't think I personally would have helped him get so much insider information. Once again I would have at least questioned my dad about his plans. The romance wasn't perfect but it did have it's swoony moments. I am a romance junkie but it was the plot that was really keeping my attention. All the things the aliens were willing to do to get to earth versus everything the humans were trying to do to stop them. There were some unexpected twists and very exciting action scenes. I did not want to put the book down. The ending has a little cliffhanger, just enough to leave you pondering and wanting to know what will happen next. 


"No one talks about it. No one talks about them at all. "The Ancients prefer discretion," Mom once told me. But some say it's because they're so freakish we'd drop dead of fright. Others say they're too attractive, too tempting.
I prefer this theory."

"Well go ahead, try it on," Jackson says as he leans against the wall beside my window, his arms crossed. "I won't watch. Much."

"You shouldn't love me, but assuming you ignore me, like always, know this: I am absolutely, mind-bendingly in love with you. In every way. Every ounce of my body. My entire being...it belongs to you."

Rating: 4/5


Melissa lives in a tiny suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughter. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L'Engle. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.





~Giveaway~

27 comments:

  1. I think it sounds like an interesting new take on Aliens!

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    1. Great take! The aliens were interesting and sexy! Always good when they are not scary and green.

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  2. I just started this one last night. I'm only about 30 pages in, but I'm already hooked because it's just so damn strange. I'm with you...I don't think I'd be feeling all lusty toward the alien thing hovering above me, stealing my essence or whatever. Like you, I'd be worried about anal probing and what-not. :P Can't wait to see where this goes. I just hope I don't have weird dreams like you. :D

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    1. The first chapter really hooks you in with the no peaking, the Taking, and her licking up some weird drop off of him! And thank goodness it wasn't just me thinking about anal probing lol But if I am blindfolded and helpless I am not going to be all lusty. What I didn't understand is why it had to be at night in my own bed?! Like can't I go into a supervised booth somewhere for this exchange?! Oh my gosh my dream was crazy! I was forced into a spaceship, landed on some weird planet, had to attend some meeting, and then I was scared for my cat and that I would be forced to reproduce. LMAO!

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  3. I really liked this too. My review is going to post Tuesday. I also agree with the romance moving a little quick. I get it on Jackson's side of things, but I thought Ari jumped into things a little too quickly. I am definitely looking forward to the next one. Haha your anal probing comment had me laughing so hard! I actually had some really odd dreams after finishing this too. Great review!

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  4. OOoh I think it sounds awesome! Love the cover too!

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  5. I can see why Ari's trust in Jackson seem really unfounded, but the plot is really intriguing. I'm interested in seeing the world that Melissa has created. I'm looking forward to reading this. It's sounds like a great read overall! :)

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  6. Christina K. in the rafflecopter

    This sounds so awesome! Very unique and kinda scary too:)

    Thank you:)

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  7. You had to bust your tail to get this done in time! I have this up on the blog next week and I am looking forward to it, the concept seems so unique but I am a little concerned about your questions. I am hoping for a good read. Thanks for the information!

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  8. The book is interesting. The concept is new and different which I really appreciate. Plus, it will be interesting to see if I get freaked out a bit cause I hate the idea of being blindfolded. Very intriguing indeed.

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  9. It sounds really interesting! Alien spy? Sounds good to me! :D

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  10. I've only read one alien book (Lux series by JLA), well two if you count Aliens Ate My Homework which was one of my favorite books as a kid but I am excited to read this one for my tour stop next week. Debating whether to start this one today or Poison Princess...(conflicted)

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  11. Oooh! This book sounds awesome! Thanks for a great post and giveaway!

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  12. The concept is interesting. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  13. I am a little confused about it, but love a taste of something different so am definitely intrigued. Thank you for sharing with us :)

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  14. It sounds creepy and unique. I would love to read!

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  15. This does sound like a good story. I'm one who liked all my SciFi questions answered in a story, so I get your frustration. Hopefully more answers in book two. Great review!

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  16. I have a minor obsession with aliens so i'm really excited for this book! XD

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  17. I haven't read all that much sci fi but this still sounds like a really unique concept - I'm not too sure how I would feel about being paralyzed every night so an alien could do whatever they wanted, but I do want to read about it :)

    Thanks for having the giveaway!

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  18. Glad you liked it. Thanks for participating.

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  19. The concept sounds really creepy. I mean who wouldn't be freaked out be an alien taking your nutrients while you sleep, paralyzed? But at the same time it is very intriguing.
    Thanks for the giveaway & great review! ^.^

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  20. I've been wanting to get into more sci-fi YA so I'm so glad to find out about this book and to hear that you enjoyed it! I'm yet to read any alien-themed books so I'm wary but I bet this is good despite the aliens!

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  21. I am super excited for this one to come out. I just love the idea of aliens and 2140....and the plot jus WOW! I am very curious about the romance as well. I just can't wait to get my hands on this! :D Brilliant review, Jennifer!

    ~ Maida @ Literary Love Affair

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  22. The synopsis gives me chills every time I read it. Aside from the Lux series by JLA, I haven't dabbled much in books about Aliens. Gravity seems like a good place to continue my Alien genre adventure. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  23. I think that the concept is original. There aren't many authors dabbling in the Alien genre, so it doesn't have the feel of "same old story". I am looking forward to reading this!!
    Lisa Hackney
    yankssssrule08 at yahoo dot com

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  24. I have been excited for Gravity for months! I love alien books!

    - Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl

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  25. Sounds fun! Thanks so much for linking your review in Hot Off the Presses!

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