Bookaholic Life 101

Summary: “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.”

This is a beautifully written space opera, with elements of the paranormal. The plot is very much survival-based, and in the course of the novel the relationship between the survivors grows, which makes this book stand out.

The writing is beautiful, the descriptions are exceptionally well done, without any elements of purple prose; it flowed exceedingly well. The romance was well built, and completely believable, although a little overwhelming at times given the environment and the situation.

I wound up liking both of the characters, even if I didn’t start off that way. Lilac and Tarver’s relationship and its development was the best thing about this book. Lilac’s character is a bit annoying in the beginning and, truly, I just wanted to punch her, but in the course of the novel she suffers some major character development.

Even being a great book, I still have reservations about it that, in my opinion, keeps it from being a even greater novel. That includes the slowness of the plot, the unconvincing character of Tarver (even though I love him very much) and the complete lack of world building.

The plot dragged on at times because an overwhelming part of the book is composed of the pair traipsing through an alien planet, trying to survive an unknown environment. The narrative flows well, but Tarver’s character isn’t as convincing as I would like him to be as the lead male.

Overall, I really, truly enjoyed this book, and it is absolutely in the running for one of my notable reads. Absolutely recommended, and I cannot wait for the next two books in the series.