Review: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Title: Earthbound
Author: Aprilynne Pike

Publication: July 30, 2013 by Razorbill

Source: NetGalley

My Summary: 

When Tavia Michaels becomes the sole survivor of a plane crash, her entire life changes.  Her parents die in the crash and she ends up living with an aunt and uncle that she hardly knows.  Then, just when she feels almost healed, she starts to see weird things that other people aren't seeing.  Soon things are happening to her that are so strange she has a hard time believing they actually happened.  Tavia sets out to discover what is going on and ends up on the road.  She has to navigate her new world and figure out who she can trust and who she is running from.   As she runs, Tavia tries to discover what is happening to her, and begins to learn about a whole new supernatural world that she could never have imagined.

My Thoughts: 

      This book kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading.  I was so intrigued by the mysteries in the story.  I could never have guessed any of this!  I love it when authors surprise me.  Tavia is a very likable character and I was rooting for her throughout the book.  She is genuinely confused about what is happening and this confusion creates a lot of tension for the reader.
      I was fortunate enough to see Aprilynne Pike at a library event a couple of months ago and I was impressed with how fun and witty she is.  I immediately started reading Wings, which I had bought at the event, and was impressed with this author's style.  So when I saw Earthbound on NetGalley, I knew I wanted to read it.  I was not disappointed in the least.  The writing in this book is intelligent and the characters are believable and witty.  I really felt for Tavia, because I think I would react in much the same way as she did in this kind of situation.  I enjoyed her voice throughout the story.
      The other thing I enjoyed in this book, of course, is the fact that there are multiple kissing scenes.   I love the fact that they are there, but also they are not too crazy.  I can feel confident recommending the book to my middle school students without worrying about whether it is too mature for them.  I was really intrigued by the inner conflict that Tavia feels, and was really eager to figure out why she felt the pull that she felt.

    I would absolutely recommend this book to teens and adults alike.  This is an original idea and I am very curious to find out what else happens in this series.  You must go buy a copy for your class library as soon as it is available.  This will be one of the most popular new titles you have!

5 out of 5 stars