ARC review- A MILLION SUNS

 

OH...MY...GOSH. This book...you guys... I am over the top excited to be able to review this book. I had no idea it would be heading to me in the mail, and when I got a package from Razorbill, I made myself SWEAR not to get too excited as I opened up the envelope. But there it was. A shiny, brand new copy of Across the Universe's sequel, for me, who probably tormented Beth Revis by sending her so many pictures and "holy crap Beth you're amazing" tweets. This was absolutely one of my most anticipated reads in a loooong time, and I have nothing but praise for it :)

I'll start with the Cover. I love it. So, SO much. It is perfect for this book, and I can't say why exactly, but this cover just fits so well.

When I first started reading, I had to go slow, because so much happened in ATU, and that was so long ago, that it was a little hard to remember every little detail. But Revis does a good job of recapping everythinga nd reeling you back in lightning fast. The book starts out instantly...withing the first few pages, by dealing the characters a HUGE game-changer (which of course, I cannot reveal!! The mystery is so good in this one! Who is doing everything?! Who is the bad guy?! Are they really bad, or are they good?! OH MY STARS, the frexing drama! Oh, the frexing amazing plotting skills, Beth! Oh, the ability to curse in Godspeed lingo without really cursing on Sol-Earth. FREX!) and you are instantly flipping pages to figure out what happens next. I'll just go through a few bullet points, because SO much happens in this book, and I can't reveal a single thing without giving it all away!!

-The Mystery-
the cool thing about this book is that the mystery is even bigger- the stakes are WAY higher than what happened in book one, with the frozens. This time, it's everyone's life on the ship that's in danger... including Godspeed itself.
-The Characters-
I feel for Amy so much in this one. She's struggling to fit into a world where she completely stands out, and now that everyone on the ship is off of Phydus, it is even more dangerous for her. Including her problems with Luthor, one of the most hate-worthy characters in all of YA lit for the way he treats women! So awesome job on making his character super believable, Beth! Beth throws in another Harley-type character named Victria, and it allows the reader to see that these people on the ship have real problems, the same kind that we wish we could run away from. Even in space, they are there.
-Godspeed is seriously in distress, and it really gives the reader a chance to see just how hard it is for Elder to lead. He has to make a ton of hard decisions, and the way his chapters are written leave you feeling just as anxious and distressed as he is.
-The romance between Amy and Elder. It is so perfectly written, the struggles, the confusion between them, the moments where you are just screaming "COME ON ALREADY!" in their scenes.
-The Plot-
Overall, it's hard sometimes for a book to capture me from beginning to end. But this one did exactly that, and I actually ended up staying up until 3am last night so that I could finish the mystery. And I'm up just a few hours later to review it. THAT'S HOW AMAZING IT WAS!! I needed to know what the end would be, because the mystery..oh, the mystery. You guys, it is so SO good, all of the clues, the confusion, the fact that you get to see Amy being so strong despite her situation...The stakes were so high that I was afraid if I left the book and came back...everything would change, and I'd miss out on something huge! It felt so realistic, from the scientific explanations, to all of the new technology you see, to the feeling of being trapped, and the crazy distress that comes from thousands of people finally realizing the danger of their situation and questioning their leader. It's scary. It's real. It's everything I ever hoped book 2 would be.

I don't give starred reviews for my books. But for this one....I'm going to have to give it A MILLION SUNS. That's just how good it was, and I am beyond excited for the rest of the world to read it! :)

:::Faces Camera::: Beth, if you're out there....if you can see this, Beth. You are amazing. :::Looks over shoulder. Lights flicker::: You have a choice to make, Beth. And it's that you have to write book three. Can you do it? You have to. Because if you dont... :::Eyes go wide:::: ....If you don't, Beth...I will probably die. ---End of Video---