Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 369pgs

The Story

The final book in the  New York Times bestselling trilogy, 

perfect for fans of Battlestar Galactica and Prometheus!

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceshipGodspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

The Review

I have loved Beth Revis's book series from the get-go because it was breath-taking, compelling, unique, and it had told quite a story unlike any other book in the YA genre. However, like some readers, I was quite disappointed with the sequel, A Million Suns. But let me tell you, after reading SHADES OF EARTH, the third and final installment of the Across the Universe series, it was most definitely worth the wait and I couldn't get enough of it!

Not only did I enjoy this final book so much more than its predecessors but it also happens to be my favourite book of the entire series. That's right folks! Who knew it would become a favourite book of mine? I certainly didn't expect it either. I mean, while SHADES OF EARTH is not entirely perfect and could have had certain sections of the book explained a little bit more, but it didn't matter to me because there was so much to love about this book and I can see why so many have praised it. It was action-packed, exciting, shocking, and for the most part completely driven by different mysteries that somehow and in some way fitted into this one gigantic - and genius - puzzle and I totally loved it!

But what I found compelling - even more than the storyline itself - was the characters which had really done it all for me! Especially the main characters and the newly introduced ones (even Amy's parents who were quite an interesting bunch of people). Amy and Elder for one, our two main protagonists, have both had their shares of ups and downs with me, but for once they had actually gotten their heads screwed on this time round and have finally realized of the dangers they will soon come to face and will soon put themselves in, especially with them landing on a new and unknown planet after all. Elder in particular was someone who really grown on me in this final book and I really missed him being that same old awesome character that he was in the first book. So yay for that! As for Amy, she too was awesome as well but I didn't like her flirting with this new character, Chris, but apart from that, I just loved Amy and Elder being together. They just work together, you know?

In terms of the ending, unfortunately that was probably the only complaint I really have when it comes to this book apart from A LOT of characters being killed all over the place (trust me it was like watching an episode of Harper's Island). In one way, I thought the ending was good enough and it certainly brought a smile up to my face but I don't know . . . I guess I was expecting something entirely amazing - or rather more - to happen or as others have referred to it . . . an epilogue of some sorts. I just wanted to know what would happen years later to the characters. I just felt like readers deserved that, you know? Especially after what all of the characters have been through lately. Still, on a whole, I thought it was a nice ending and one I already predicted that would eventually happen.

Overall, SHADES OF EARTH was a delightful and a very suspenseful read for me. Apart from a couple of little things, this would have to be my favourite book of the entire Across the Universe series and I'm looking forward to seeing what else Beth Revis writes up next!

The Rating

5/5 stars