Friday 17 May 2013

Blog Tour Review: Terra (Terrestrials #1) by Gretchen Powell


Source: Received a ecopy from Rockstar Book Tours to
participate in the blog tour and give an honest review.
Publisher: Hopewell Media
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 286 (Paperback)

     Description: 
A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.
Purchase Links: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE
Chapters 1 & 2 are available to read online: HERE


About the Author
Half-Chinese and the daughter of a US diplomat, Gretchen Powell spent her childhood growing up in far-off places. She made it all the way to her mid-twenties whilst maintaining her deep-seated love for young adult novels, so she decided to write one of her own.
Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and sleeping fitfully. Her many interests include anything with polka dots, Harry Potter, and playing the ukulele.

When she isn't crafting devastated futuristic worlds and fiery heroines, Gretchen also writes a healthy living blog, entitled "Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!"

She lives in Northern Virginia with her two adorable miniature schnauzers. They wear many sweaters.

REVIEW
I'm always on the look out for new dystopias to read, so when I first read the description for Terra, I was sold, and I just have to say that Terra lived up to my expectations completely! It was definitely a thrill to read and I highly recommend it. :D

The main character of the book is actually also named Terra, and she works as a scav (a.k.a. a scavenger), someone who collects waste on the ground so that it can be recycled and used by the people in the skyworlds. You see, in Terra there are some people who live on Earth still, like Terra herself, and some who live in the skycites that float above the Earth's surface, but still stay in its atmosphere. The skycites are protected from the acid rain and harsh UV radiation that Earth is exposed to and live in luxury, while those on the ground live in poverty and can often only find work scavenging. Also, many years earlier a plague ravaged both the groundworld and the skyworld, killing most of the human population. Clearly, Terra is packed with a vivid back story and I felt that Gretchen Powell did a wonderful job explaining it all to the reader. I was riveted to the story and the history behind it all, and I definitely cannot wait to read more in this series!

Along with its amazing back story, the characters of Terra were fantastic! There weren't actually too many characters because Terra stuck mostly to herself, but the ones that were prominent were all wonderful. Terra was an amazing narrator, and although she tried to keep a distance from others I could not help empathizing and relating to her. She worked so hard to provide for her brother Mica. She was also brave, and constantly asked questions, which I thoroughly enjoyed because it usually provided some awesome banter with the other characters...mostly Adam. ;) I also loved her brother Mica. Although their circumstances weren't the greatest, Terra and Mica were still so close, and it was really nice to see the strong familial bond between them. Then there was Adam...oh boy did I love Adam! He was amazing and I loved how he managed to bring Terra out of her shell. I also really...and I mean REALLY loved Terra and Adam together. I was constantly smiling...and even giggling over their interactions...especially once Terra finally let her guard down!

The story itself was complex, and there were a few unexpected twists that I really enjoyed! It's not often that a book surprises me, but Terra definitely did! Overall, I just absolutely loved every single part of this book. The characters, the back story, the story itself, and the writing...all were so well done on their own, and put together they made for an amazing book! I'd recommend Terra to those who like dystopias with unique environments and vivid back stories, and if you enjoy a romance where the female lead is hesitant....but opens up eventually. :)


TOURWIDE GIVEAWAY!
- US Only
- 1 Winner will get a signed copy of Terra & 3 Signed Bookmarks 
- Required entry to comment, and additional extra entries. :)
- Ends May 21st

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:
RockStar Book Tours

The Tour Schedule
Week One
May 6th – Parajunkee (http://www.parajunkee.com) – Guest Post
May 7th – Gobs and Gobs of Books (http://www.gobsandgobsofbooks.blogspot.com/) – Interview
May 7th – Caught Between the Pages (http://caughtbetweenthepages.wordpress.com) – Guest Post
May 8th – Poisoned Rationality (http://www.prationality.com) – Interview
May 9th – Lost in Books (http://imlostinbooks.blogspot.com) – Guest Post
May 9th – My Book Addiction (http://mybookaddiction.com) – Review
May 10th – Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf (http://www.moonlightgleam.com) – Interview
May 10th – Library of a Book Witch (http://www.booklovewitch.blogspot.com) – Review
Week Two
May 13th – Jenna Does Books (http://jennadoesbooks.com/) - Guest Post
May 13th – Buried Under Books (http://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/) – Review
May 14th – The Best Books Ever (http://www.thebestbooksever.com) – Interview
May 14th – Pieces of Whimsy (http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/) - Review
May 15th – Seeing Night Reviews (http://seeingnight.blogspot.com) – Review
May 16th – Paulette’s Papers (http://paulettespapers.com/) – Interview
May 17th – Burning Impossibly Bright (http://burningximpossiblyxbright.blogspot.com) – Review
May 17th – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf (http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com/) – Guest Post



So, what do you think?
Does Terra sound like a dystopia you'd like to read?
And if you've read it already, what did you think?

2 comments:

  1. I really liked this one, too! It felt fresh and unique, which is pretty tough when there are so many post-apocs and dystopians out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree! :D I definitely thought it felt unique, which is really nice when so many do feel the same.

      Delete

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