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Colliding Skies
"Brilliant pacing, sizzling romance, and a storyline I absolutely devoured!" Victoria Scott, author of Fire and Flood.Since Skye Reilly can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye's trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions.The Celeians promise many things. An end to disease, global warming, and famine. The knowledge to help humankind. Despite the suspicions surrounding the intriguing aliens and rising anti-alien protests, Skye gives Ethan her trust, and eventually her heart. The very heart he could stop with a lethal electrifying touch of his hand.When the Magistrate, a council of alien leaders, threatens to put an end to their interspecies relationship, following her heart could cost Skye her life and the lives of everyone she loves.Not even light can escape the pull of a black hole.
380 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 18, 2017
Well. What can I say?
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING TO ME!
A sci-fi romance that ticks all the right boxes. This is Oftomes first debut releasing next year. I adore this story and the characters. I will never forget how this book made me feel when I read the submission.
The 5th Wave meets the CW’s Starcrossed
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING TO ME!
A sci-fi romance that ticks all the right boxes. This is Oftomes first debut releasing next year. I adore this story and the characters. I will never forget how this book made me feel when I read the submission.
The 5th Wave meets the CW’s Starcrossed
March 6, 2018
Full Review: 3/6/2018
***Actual rating: 3.5/5 Celeian Stars***
Whoa, I think I just came back from a spectacular space exploration as well as a multi-dimensional world. Here’s the thing about Colliding Skies. It shows you what the outer space looks like, how the extraterrestrial creatures may not be as scary as the scientists describe and how interspecies relationship might actually work.
This book starts off convincing us that human beings can live in harmony with the otherworldly species called the Celeians and better yet, they’re willing to pass on their extremely advanced knowledge about technology, mathematics, science and astrophysics without asking for anything in return. Frankly, 80% of the book makes me fall in love with a non-existent ET and I can’t stop swooning over the lovestruck couple, a.k.a. Ethan the Celeian and Skye the human.
What captivates me most in this book is all the space travels and star-gazing scenes featuring Ethan and Skye. I love how vividly the author describes every single step of Ethan guiding Skye into the outer space, through the universe and enter another galaxy; everything feels so real as if I am the one traipsing around the magical, mysterious, wondrous interstellar world.
What’s more, among all theswoon-worthy interactions space/interspecies discoveries Ethan experiences with Skye, I particularly adore the moment when she holds out her hand tentatively to Ethan, trying to see if they can actually touch each other without causing any life-threatening problems.
Aww, isn’t this scene purely magical and beautiful? In my opinion, the first physical interaction between species is and will always be the BEST and the most heart-tugging part of a book. Besides, 90% of the book revolves around the awesomeness and incredibleness of how friendly and helpful the Celeians are to humans despite the fact that THEY basically make themselves at home on Earth at first.
It truly amazes me that these creatures from another planet/galaxy manage to simply waltz into our lives gracefully since my first impression on ETs is their hostility and how they always plan to invade our planet to annihilate the entire homo-sapiens while bring upon an unprecedented apocalypse. Ha, I’m really glad this book provides me with a completely different and innovative viewpoint of sci-fi elements.
However, in spite of my total fangirl mode above, the ending blows my mind and shatters my wonderful, innocent fantasy of the Celeians and human beings holding hands, singing Hakuna Matata and living happily ever after into pieces. I refuse to divulge you anymore for that this part is literally the most shocking and worthy of waiting for.
By now you must be wondering why I don’t give this book more than 3.5/5 stars, yeah? As a huge romance sucker, I value the chemistry and that special something between the lovers most. To my disappointment, I don’t understand why or how Ethan and Skye decide to be together like a couple do in the first place. I mean, I don’t see anything more than the obvious obsession and utter mesmerization between two intergalactic species from their relationship. Skye even dumps her current boyfriend just because some hotter, more interesting “guy” stumbles into her life. Apparently, their relationship isn’t based on any real, solid emotional foundation to begin with. Hence, even though I enjoy watching their exploration of each other afterwards, the whole romance doesn’t touch me as much as I hope it will.
All in all, Colliding Skies is still a delightful read to me and the space elements in this book is truly something worth experiencing. The author definitely successfully creates a once-in-a-lifetime space travel for everyone and I can’t wait for you to feel the power and believability of it! Moreover, Ethan and Skye’s romance is still on its way to a higher, almost impossible level in both the Celeians and humans’ history! Perhaps you’ll love this book more than I do if you didn’t pay too much attention to the detailed development of their relationship. :P
***Thanks to Oftomes Publishing and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
---
Update: 2/18/2018
Huh, I had no idea there'd be a cliffhanger at the end of this. Despite the little disappointment I felt about the intergalactic interspecies couple here, I'm still looking forward to the sequels. :)
Full review to come!
---
Random Update: 1/15/2018
This is another highly anticipated book for me in 2018 and I'll be reading it real soon!
You could check out the first chapter & enter a pre-order giveaway on my blog post! :))
Have a nice week!
***Actual rating: 3.5/5 Celeian Stars***
The point at which the gravitational pull becomes so great, it makes escape impossible.
Whoa, I think I just came back from a spectacular space exploration as well as a multi-dimensional world. Here’s the thing about Colliding Skies. It shows you what the outer space looks like, how the extraterrestrial creatures may not be as scary as the scientists describe and how interspecies relationship might actually work.
This book starts off convincing us that human beings can live in harmony with the otherworldly species called the Celeians and better yet, they’re willing to pass on their extremely advanced knowledge about technology, mathematics, science and astrophysics without asking for anything in return. Frankly, 80% of the book makes me fall in love with a non-existent ET and I can’t stop swooning over the lovestruck couple, a.k.a. Ethan the Celeian and Skye the human.
”I think everything so far supports that. We should take advantage of this opportunity. Honey, there’s so much we can learn from them. Their knowledge of astrophysics challenges everything we know about the universe. Their technology is out of this world. No pun intended. And it’s not just space exploration. Bio-engineering, nanotechnology, robotics…it just blows my mind! They’re superior to us in so many ways.”
What captivates me most in this book is all the space travels and star-gazing scenes featuring Ethan and Skye. I love how vividly the author describes every single step of Ethan guiding Skye into the outer space, through the universe and enter another galaxy; everything feels so real as if I am the one traipsing around the magical, mysterious, wondrous interstellar world.
What’s more, among all the
The electricity enveloping me pulled me to him like gravity. The energy was so strong, I thought for sure the currents surrounding us were visible. I had a crazy impulse to erase the space between us. He was so close, yet not close enough. Without thinking, I took a step closer and lifted my hand, my palm open in a strange gesture of reaching out to him. He looked at me and then his eyes widened with alarm.
Aww, isn’t this scene purely magical and beautiful? In my opinion, the first physical interaction between species is and will always be the BEST and the most heart-tugging part of a book. Besides, 90% of the book revolves around the awesomeness and incredibleness of how friendly and helpful the Celeians are to humans despite the fact that THEY basically make themselves at home on Earth at first.
It truly amazes me that these creatures from another planet/galaxy manage to simply waltz into our lives gracefully since my first impression on ETs is their hostility and how they always plan to invade our planet to annihilate the entire homo-sapiens while bring upon an unprecedented apocalypse. Ha, I’m really glad this book provides me with a completely different and innovative viewpoint of sci-fi elements.
However, in spite of my total fangirl mode above, the ending blows my mind and shatters my wonderful, innocent fantasy of the Celeians and human beings holding hands, singing Hakuna Matata and living happily ever after into pieces. I refuse to divulge you anymore for that this part is literally the most shocking and worthy of waiting for.
Even the slightest suspicion of wrongdoing on our part will be enough to cause uproar among the Earthlings.
By now you must be wondering why I don’t give this book more than 3.5/5 stars, yeah? As a huge romance sucker, I value the chemistry and that special something between the lovers most. To my disappointment, I don’t understand why or how Ethan and Skye decide to be together like a couple do in the first place. I mean, I don’t see anything more than the obvious obsession and utter mesmerization between two intergalactic species from their relationship. Skye even dumps her current boyfriend just because some hotter, more interesting “guy” stumbles into her life. Apparently, their relationship isn’t based on any real, solid emotional foundation to begin with. Hence, even though I enjoy watching their exploration of each other afterwards, the whole romance doesn’t touch me as much as I hope it will.
All in all, Colliding Skies is still a delightful read to me and the space elements in this book is truly something worth experiencing. The author definitely successfully creates a once-in-a-lifetime space travel for everyone and I can’t wait for you to feel the power and believability of it! Moreover, Ethan and Skye’s romance is still on its way to a higher, almost impossible level in both the Celeians and humans’ history! Perhaps you’ll love this book more than I do if you didn’t pay too much attention to the detailed development of their relationship. :P
You are and will always be the celestial sphere of my universe. However many light years separate us, I will love you infinitely.
***Thanks to Oftomes Publishing and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
---
Update: 2/18/2018
Huh, I had no idea there'd be a cliffhanger at the end of this. Despite the little disappointment I felt about the intergalactic interspecies couple here, I'm still looking forward to the sequels. :)
Full review to come!
---
Random Update: 1/15/2018
This is another highly anticipated book for me in 2018 and I'll be reading it real soon!
You could check out the first chapter & enter a pre-order giveaway on my blog post! :))
Have a nice week!
October 30, 2017
Fantastic! Full review to come. 😍
January 13, 2018
I couldn’t put it down. This was a read-any-chance-I-got book. A I-have-to-know-what-happens-next book. I can’t wait for the next one!
March 20, 2018
I wish to thank OfTomes Publishing for sending me a copy for review. This was my favorite book so far!
This story was a strange mix of contemporary romance and sci-fi and I loved it! It work really well for me! Skye story starts when an alien invasion strikes DC and she is now faced with the consequences of this incident. The central portion of the plot is of course, Skye's life and romance with Ethan and yet I was still able to understand much of what was happening around with some subtle hints on the new world order.
As for protagonists go, I liked Skye. She was stuborned and determined, the author was able to really fleshed her out. So as many of the other characters, even if they didn't play a big role in the overall arc I still felt they brought something to the story. Ethan was a bit cliché for me at first but the more time we spent with him, the more I got to see who he was and it was funny how similar Skye and Ethan were by the end of this book, I could actually see their romance as something more believable.
On a very positive note, I liked the envolvement of Skye's parents. No absent parents here, that is so for sure, and it brought a new level of conflict I usually don't read in YA. I'm glad the author didn't use a device to get ride of the parents and Skye had to face her parents like any other teen would do.
Shout out to Lucas because he was my favorite side character, I liked the portuguese sentences since I speak that language. (Petty, I know... :D)
The alien race, the Celeians, were very interesting. I could tell the author researched for this novel and she was able to craft a new species given the amount of plot they took. They always felt unsetteling and yet fascinating, helping to build the final chapters. (But seriously, they feast on people right? Or rocks? Can we just know?? It's driving me insane!)
For the downside, if you can't get past some clichés and tropes present on paranormal and fantasy YA, you might not like this book as much as I did. Also, the book takes a while to take off so you need to be patient for the later developments.
*Fangirl mode on:* Those final chapters were crazy! OMG! I couldn't stop reading and I need to know what happens next!! *Fangirl mode off*
Rating: 4,5 stars! It's an amazing first book, on what it has potential to be a series. Recommended for fans of romance and alien invasions.
This story was a strange mix of contemporary romance and sci-fi and I loved it! It work really well for me! Skye story starts when an alien invasion strikes DC and she is now faced with the consequences of this incident. The central portion of the plot is of course, Skye's life and romance with Ethan and yet I was still able to understand much of what was happening around with some subtle hints on the new world order.
As for protagonists go, I liked Skye. She was stuborned and determined, the author was able to really fleshed her out. So as many of the other characters, even if they didn't play a big role in the overall arc I still felt they brought something to the story. Ethan was a bit cliché for me at first but the more time we spent with him, the more I got to see who he was and it was funny how similar Skye and Ethan were by the end of this book, I could actually see their romance as something more believable.
On a very positive note, I liked the envolvement of Skye's parents. No absent parents here, that is so for sure, and it brought a new level of conflict I usually don't read in YA. I'm glad the author didn't use a device to get ride of the parents and Skye had to face her parents like any other teen would do.
Shout out to Lucas because he was my favorite side character, I liked the portuguese sentences since I speak that language. (Petty, I know... :D)
The alien race, the Celeians, were very interesting. I could tell the author researched for this novel and she was able to craft a new species given the amount of plot they took. They always felt unsetteling and yet fascinating, helping to build the final chapters. (But seriously, they feast on people right? Or rocks? Can we just know?? It's driving me insane!)
For the downside, if you can't get past some clichés and tropes present on paranormal and fantasy YA, you might not like this book as much as I did. Also, the book takes a while to take off so you need to be patient for the later developments.
*Fangirl mode on:* Those final chapters were crazy! OMG! I couldn't stop reading and I need to know what happens next!! *Fangirl mode off*
Rating: 4,5 stars! It's an amazing first book, on what it has potential to be a series. Recommended for fans of romance and alien invasions.
March 11, 2018
*I received an ARC for free by Oftomes Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*
IMPORTANT: I was kindly given this book for reviewing. However, I’m not one for sci-fi and even less sci-fi romance. BUT this is NOT a negative review; it is quite positive, on the contrary! I just want to tell you that my opinion might not be trustworthy when it comes to the sci-fi romance in this book. So, I will focus on other interesting elements and simply skim the actual romance to make a fair review for everyone to read.
The Negative Points:
Let’s start with the two negative points for they’re few, as you can see. Best to go through them to better enjoy the positive ones. Whenever the story got a bit slow, new tension or problems arose from all sorts of situations. Also, the more we kept reading, the worse they became (a nice touch in my opinion!). The last point is how the romance sometimes looks… a bit too forced and quick. I mean, yes, there is development, but in a month? And for them to be willing to sacrifice everything for the other one? I sometimes find it too much for such a short time window. However, like I announced before the review, please take my opinion on the romance with a grain of salt.
The Positive Points:
Now, let’s dwell on the positive sides of this awesome story, shall we? First, it’s just marvelous! There, I said it. To me, who usually dislikes sci-fi books AND sci-fi romance even more, this is huge. I loved it so much that I talked my bestie into purchasing his own copy, can you imagine?! My jaw hit the floor when I realized my growing love for this book. You’re not surprised, I am! The main character, Skye, deserves praise. Not only is she courageous, she’s also brilliant! Something I rarely see in female MCs and I always complain about the lack of them. But no-oh in this story! Plus, she’s a real geek and loves all things astronomy and physics-related and I… I just love her, okay? Women are seldom shown loving things that have to do with numbers and such, so this was fun and refreshing. I’m a huge astronomy geek too so the references and the right terms used made me squeal with enthusiasm! No, seriously, Skye always means to call astronomic events by their real name and it makes my day, okay? She won’t settle for less than the truth. That’s my girl! As for Ethan, her interstellar love (a Celeian), he’s both amusing and loyal. He’s even got a funny side, though he can be extremely protective. I like him too. Nonetheless, I think he’s way too ready to give up everything for a mere human—the Celeians are a superior race, so this seems strange to me.
However, I liked how they’re depicted: gorgeous, calm and peaceful. Humans who meet them can hardly look away for they’re that stunning physically. They’re also quite intelligent, which could make or break it. Because are they on Earth for good or evil?
Something else that makes me adore this book? The humour! Actually, it was the first thing that caught my feelings and interest. It’s full of sass and intelligent twists. Speaking of twists, the ending is surprising! I mean, I saw some of the big ‘’revelations’’ coming, BUT the main character does get hurt (and a lot)! Can we all just appreciate that? Usually, main characters get lucky or they’re just SO good and skilled and awesome that they don’t even have a scratch on them at the end of the big battle. Realistic? Hm, no. But in Colliding Skies, let me say I was pleasantly taken aback! It deserves an award for this. The award for ‘’Finally, the MC Gets Badly Hurt Physically’’.
There’s more: it ends with a cliffhanger. A lot of you hate those, but I genuinely couldn’t live without them. They’re fun and only increase my need to know more, which is good for the author (and for me, if I care about the story). It’s nice—there are so few books with cliffhangers it makes me sad. But fortunately, there’s this one.
The Conclusion:
In conclusion, Colliding Skies by Debbie Zaken receives a rating of 5 out of 5 stars from me! It surpassed every expectation I had and it also made me enjoy something I (let’s be frank here) hate. So, if you ask me, it’s quite impressive. This sci-fi romance is, believe it or not, one of the best books I had the pleasure of reviewing. Congratulations, Debbie! Also, dear readers, buy yourself a copy and read it with an open mind, just like I did. You’ll see, it’ll be rewarding in both fuzzy feelings (for those who love romance) AND adventure (for those like me who love to explore the universe).
IMPORTANT: I was kindly given this book for reviewing. However, I’m not one for sci-fi and even less sci-fi romance. BUT this is NOT a negative review; it is quite positive, on the contrary! I just want to tell you that my opinion might not be trustworthy when it comes to the sci-fi romance in this book. So, I will focus on other interesting elements and simply skim the actual romance to make a fair review for everyone to read.
The Negative Points:
Let’s start with the two negative points for they’re few, as you can see. Best to go through them to better enjoy the positive ones. Whenever the story got a bit slow, new tension or problems arose from all sorts of situations. Also, the more we kept reading, the worse they became (a nice touch in my opinion!). The last point is how the romance sometimes looks… a bit too forced and quick. I mean, yes, there is development, but in a month? And for them to be willing to sacrifice everything for the other one? I sometimes find it too much for such a short time window. However, like I announced before the review, please take my opinion on the romance with a grain of salt.
The Positive Points:
Now, let’s dwell on the positive sides of this awesome story, shall we? First, it’s just marvelous! There, I said it. To me, who usually dislikes sci-fi books AND sci-fi romance even more, this is huge. I loved it so much that I talked my bestie into purchasing his own copy, can you imagine?! My jaw hit the floor when I realized my growing love for this book. You’re not surprised, I am! The main character, Skye, deserves praise. Not only is she courageous, she’s also brilliant! Something I rarely see in female MCs and I always complain about the lack of them. But no-oh in this story! Plus, she’s a real geek and loves all things astronomy and physics-related and I… I just love her, okay? Women are seldom shown loving things that have to do with numbers and such, so this was fun and refreshing. I’m a huge astronomy geek too so the references and the right terms used made me squeal with enthusiasm! No, seriously, Skye always means to call astronomic events by their real name and it makes my day, okay? She won’t settle for less than the truth. That’s my girl! As for Ethan, her interstellar love (a Celeian), he’s both amusing and loyal. He’s even got a funny side, though he can be extremely protective. I like him too. Nonetheless, I think he’s way too ready to give up everything for a mere human—the Celeians are a superior race, so this seems strange to me.
However, I liked how they’re depicted: gorgeous, calm and peaceful. Humans who meet them can hardly look away for they’re that stunning physically. They’re also quite intelligent, which could make or break it. Because are they on Earth for good or evil?
Something else that makes me adore this book? The humour! Actually, it was the first thing that caught my feelings and interest. It’s full of sass and intelligent twists. Speaking of twists, the ending is surprising! I mean, I saw some of the big ‘’revelations’’ coming, BUT the main character does get hurt (and a lot)! Can we all just appreciate that? Usually, main characters get lucky or they’re just SO good and skilled and awesome that they don’t even have a scratch on them at the end of the big battle. Realistic? Hm, no. But in Colliding Skies, let me say I was pleasantly taken aback! It deserves an award for this. The award for ‘’Finally, the MC Gets Badly Hurt Physically’’.
There’s more: it ends with a cliffhanger. A lot of you hate those, but I genuinely couldn’t live without them. They’re fun and only increase my need to know more, which is good for the author (and for me, if I care about the story). It’s nice—there are so few books with cliffhangers it makes me sad. But fortunately, there’s this one.
The Conclusion:
In conclusion, Colliding Skies by Debbie Zaken receives a rating of 5 out of 5 stars from me! It surpassed every expectation I had and it also made me enjoy something I (let’s be frank here) hate. So, if you ask me, it’s quite impressive. This sci-fi romance is, believe it or not, one of the best books I had the pleasure of reviewing. Congratulations, Debbie! Also, dear readers, buy yourself a copy and read it with an open mind, just like I did. You’ll see, it’ll be rewarding in both fuzzy feelings (for those who love romance) AND adventure (for those like me who love to explore the universe).
December 10, 2018
From the very first paragraph, Colliding Skies by Debbie Zaken pulled me in with it’s intriguing storyline and captivating characters. Skye Riley, her family, friends and the entire world witness the arrival of the Celeians, an advanced species from a galaxy light years away. Aliens, as you might say. For the most part, they blend in with their human-like forms and start interacting with important people in world governments, including Skye’s father. It doesn’t take long for Skye to interact with a Celeian, Ethan, in a more personal way and it sends her world into chaos.
The pacing is just right; after the fast moving arrival of the Celeians to start the story, it slows down a bit in favor of something more common in a contemporary high school novel. This gives us a lot of time to get to know the introverted and space obsessed Skye and the characters around her as they deal with this new normal. I really like Skye; she starts out with a new boyfriend, Taylor Manning, though she finds herself in a brief love triangle in an amusing setup before going steady with Ethan in a forbidden romance situation . She’s unsure of herself, which leads to some half baked choices that she pays the price for. But at the same time, stands by her convictions and takes some risks to get what she wants.
The reactions and behaviors from the cast is something I would expect from a situation like this. Her school friends feel like high schoolers; Skye’s best friend Emily becomes obsessed with Celeians, Taylor is dealing with his own issues and the rest have their own little stand out characteristics. The Rileys felt like a typical American family, at least one with a father that talks to the Celeians on a daily basis, a mother that cares for the safety of her kids, and a bratty, but caring little brother. The interactions between a lot of them were something to look forward to with some little quips and other things that helped cut through the tension and made the story more approachable. Of course the highlight is Skye and Ethan. These two have great chemistry, connecting on their interest in space, with Ethan trying to connect with emotions and being aware of his inherent danger, and Skye wanting to be with him despite that and the obstacles she has to go through just to be with him .
The world building on the Celeians and their impact on Earth is delivered in small chunks throughout the novel as a natural progression, and all of it kept my interest and is relevant to the storyline. It also doesn’t feel like a bombardment of hard science fiction that can lose readers, outside of maybe Chapter 14, and even then it’s filled with character moments and very understandable. This book is mostly soft science fiction. While the plot feels a bit familiar, it took some risks and surprised me in a few places and really made this story stand out.
The easy to read prose gets me in the story and the hooking end of chapter cliffhangers keeps me in and finishing the book in a weekend. Though there are a few small formatting and spelling errors.
The last two chapters picks up the pace big time as the underlying plot pushes itself right into the foreground. I was on the edge of my seat as I awaited the fates of Skye, Ethan and everyone else around them. If was satisfying due to all the character development that had me care for them beforehand that led to this moment. Which made the cliffhanger ending that much more impactful and awaiting the next installment in this saga and from Zaken.
The pacing is just right; after the fast moving arrival of the Celeians to start the story, it slows down a bit in favor of something more common in a contemporary high school novel. This gives us a lot of time to get to know the introverted and space obsessed Skye and the characters around her as they deal with this new normal. I really like Skye; she starts out with a new boyfriend, Taylor Manning, though she finds herself in a brief love triangle in an amusing setup before going steady with Ethan in a forbidden romance situation . She’s unsure of herself, which leads to some half baked choices that she pays the price for. But at the same time, stands by her convictions and takes some risks to get what she wants.
The reactions and behaviors from the cast is something I would expect from a situation like this. Her school friends feel like high schoolers; Skye’s best friend Emily becomes obsessed with Celeians, Taylor is dealing with his own issues and the rest have their own little stand out characteristics. The Rileys felt like a typical American family, at least one with a father that talks to the Celeians on a daily basis, a mother that cares for the safety of her kids, and a bratty, but caring little brother. The interactions between a lot of them were something to look forward to with some little quips and other things that helped cut through the tension and made the story more approachable. Of course the highlight is Skye and Ethan. These two have great chemistry, connecting on their interest in space, with Ethan trying to connect with emotions and being aware of his inherent danger, and Skye wanting to be with him despite that and the obstacles she has to go through just to be with him .
The world building on the Celeians and their impact on Earth is delivered in small chunks throughout the novel as a natural progression, and all of it kept my interest and is relevant to the storyline. It also doesn’t feel like a bombardment of hard science fiction that can lose readers, outside of maybe Chapter 14, and even then it’s filled with character moments and very understandable. This book is mostly soft science fiction. While the plot feels a bit familiar, it took some risks and surprised me in a few places and really made this story stand out.
The easy to read prose gets me in the story and the hooking end of chapter cliffhangers keeps me in and finishing the book in a weekend. Though there are a few small formatting and spelling errors.
The last two chapters picks up the pace big time as the underlying plot pushes itself right into the foreground. I was on the edge of my seat as I awaited the fates of Skye, Ethan and everyone else around them. If was satisfying due to all the character development that had me care for them beforehand that led to this moment. Which made the cliffhanger ending that much more impactful and awaiting the next installment in this saga and from Zaken.
February 28, 2018
I was really excited to get a copy of this book: I love YA sci-fi, adore the alien/human relationship trope, and was so eager to connect with an MC who loves space as much as me. But I was really let down with this book. This is just my personal opinion and I can see why people loved the book, but for me, there were quite a few problems I just couldn't get past.
The first chapter was riveting. I loved the straight to action pacing: was pulled straight in, instantly connected with Skye and was so excited to see what happened after aliens arrived. But from then on, the pacing slowly declined, until the story became really dull.
Ethan, the alien love interest, comes off as one of those characters who is too perfect. Are they called Gary Stu's, you know the type: flawless in every way, more beautiful than any human, with abilities humans could never have. In any case, he falls instantly in love with Skye, and she falls for him, hard. But of course, being from an alien delegation trying to establish diplomatic relations with earth doesn't make dating easy. Are his people even trustworthy? And would her parents approve?
Sit back, relax, and dig in, because three quarters of the book is just that question. Over, and over again. There are chapters devoted to convincing people around her that they should let her give this relationship a go. Despite being an adult, entering a relationship with Ethan makes her parents ground Skye for life. But it's ok, nothing can hold him back from visiting her! Sneaking into her room at midnight uninvited, or making her go to sleep with his hypnotic voice...
I think that's where the book lost me. Ethan's obsession with Skye wasn't cute, it was creepy. He stalks her, takes her alone into the woods without cell reception (I am totally with her mom on this one), enters her room in the middle of the night, uses hypnosis on her to alter her mood. Every time he said something about nothing keeping her away from him, I wanted to tell Skye to get out of there. Red flags were everywhere. We even learn later he manipulated certain events around her with his abilities so he could see her more, which was moving beyond stalker territory.
From here until the last two chapters of the book, it all reads like Twilight. Replace the brooding vampire with a brooding alien, and it's the same: there's even an awkward prom. (And an excuse for chastity, which felt contrived, and familiar). When we finally got some action at the very end, it raised some interesting plot points but should have come much earlier in the book to keep my attention. I honestly was hanging on until the end in a hope that Skye would realize the relationship was toxic and possibly dangerous for the human race.
The dialogue between Skye and Ethan also really bugged me. Like many Gary Stu's, Ethan speaks incredibly eloquently, and is, of course, super genius. But take this from someone who is surrounded by astrophysicists, cosmologists and astronomers day in and day out: that's just not how anyone talks. Quoting Carl Sagan and calling it "Quantum Physics" or thinking someone is a genius because they know Venus has phases like the moon made me feel like Ethan was insulting her intelligence.
I was honestly hoping for more, but it was just a little too flat for me. I can see why others would like it, but I couldn't get pact Ethan's creepy stalker habits.
The first chapter was riveting. I loved the straight to action pacing: was pulled straight in, instantly connected with Skye and was so excited to see what happened after aliens arrived. But from then on, the pacing slowly declined, until the story became really dull.
Ethan, the alien love interest, comes off as one of those characters who is too perfect. Are they called Gary Stu's, you know the type: flawless in every way, more beautiful than any human, with abilities humans could never have. In any case, he falls instantly in love with Skye, and she falls for him, hard. But of course, being from an alien delegation trying to establish diplomatic relations with earth doesn't make dating easy. Are his people even trustworthy? And would her parents approve?
Sit back, relax, and dig in, because three quarters of the book is just that question. Over, and over again. There are chapters devoted to convincing people around her that they should let her give this relationship a go. Despite being an adult, entering a relationship with Ethan makes her parents ground Skye for life. But it's ok, nothing can hold him back from visiting her! Sneaking into her room at midnight uninvited, or making her go to sleep with his hypnotic voice...
I think that's where the book lost me. Ethan's obsession with Skye wasn't cute, it was creepy. He stalks her, takes her alone into the woods without cell reception (I am totally with her mom on this one), enters her room in the middle of the night, uses hypnosis on her to alter her mood. Every time he said something about nothing keeping her away from him, I wanted to tell Skye to get out of there. Red flags were everywhere. We even learn later he manipulated certain events around her with his abilities so he could see her more, which was moving beyond stalker territory.
From here until the last two chapters of the book, it all reads like Twilight. Replace the brooding vampire with a brooding alien, and it's the same: there's even an awkward prom. (And an excuse for chastity, which felt contrived, and familiar). When we finally got some action at the very end, it raised some interesting plot points but should have come much earlier in the book to keep my attention. I honestly was hanging on until the end in a hope that Skye would realize the relationship was toxic and possibly dangerous for the human race.
The dialogue between Skye and Ethan also really bugged me. Like many Gary Stu's, Ethan speaks incredibly eloquently, and is, of course, super genius. But take this from someone who is surrounded by astrophysicists, cosmologists and astronomers day in and day out: that's just not how anyone talks. Quoting Carl Sagan and calling it "Quantum Physics" or thinking someone is a genius because they know Venus has phases like the moon made me feel like Ethan was insulting her intelligence.
I was honestly hoping for more, but it was just a little too flat for me. I can see why others would like it, but I couldn't get pact Ethan's creepy stalker habits.
October 27, 2018
This story is described in the blurb for fans of the 5th Wave and Starcrossed; I haven’t read either of those so I can’t attest to that. What I kept thinking was it reminded me of Twilight. No there aren’t Sparkly Vampires. What it does have is a forbidden teenage romance with an immortal and love triangle. And to be honest, at this point I am a bit team Taylor, call me crazy I love an underdog.
Colliding Skies is set up to be a saga, not sure how many books Zaken has planned but the first ends in a great hook for the next in the series. The story is set in a first person narrative of Skye, who is an incredibly intelligent, yet stubborn, high school Senior with a love of all things astronomy. She and her almost-boyfriend Taylor are on their first date when the Celeian arrive on earth.
As you can imagine if aliens where to arrive in this day and time, it would be complete chaos. Riots in the streets, people either worshiping the aliens or fearing them. It would be anarchy and Zaken described it perfectly.
Once things settle down and life goes back to “normal” or at least as normal as it can under martial law. Skye has a chance encounter with one of the aliens, Ethan during a stargazing trip. Her life and his are never the same.
“You collided into me like an asteroid. Deviated my orbit.”
Skye and Ethan’s love is so forbidden and taboo, yet they yearn for each other. Skye has that young first love going to die without him thing going. Which reminded me very much of Bella. Although in this story the stakes are much higher for each and the suspense and action at the end is riveting.
I typically don’t read YA, but every once in a while one will peak my interest enough that I have to delve in. When Zaken asked us to review her novel I was initially going to give it to Lissa since she usually is our YA reader, but then I read the blurb and decided it was mine. I mean hello, I love anything alien. Colliding Skies is an excellent YA science fiction romance; I am ready for the next one!
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Colliding Skies is set up to be a saga, not sure how many books Zaken has planned but the first ends in a great hook for the next in the series. The story is set in a first person narrative of Skye, who is an incredibly intelligent, yet stubborn, high school Senior with a love of all things astronomy. She and her almost-boyfriend Taylor are on their first date when the Celeian arrive on earth.
As you can imagine if aliens where to arrive in this day and time, it would be complete chaos. Riots in the streets, people either worshiping the aliens or fearing them. It would be anarchy and Zaken described it perfectly.
Once things settle down and life goes back to “normal” or at least as normal as it can under martial law. Skye has a chance encounter with one of the aliens, Ethan during a stargazing trip. Her life and his are never the same.
“You collided into me like an asteroid. Deviated my orbit.”
Skye and Ethan’s love is so forbidden and taboo, yet they yearn for each other. Skye has that young first love going to die without him thing going. Which reminded me very much of Bella. Although in this story the stakes are much higher for each and the suspense and action at the end is riveting.
I typically don’t read YA, but every once in a while one will peak my interest enough that I have to delve in. When Zaken asked us to review her novel I was initially going to give it to Lissa since she usually is our YA reader, but then I read the blurb and decided it was mine. I mean hello, I love anything alien. Colliding Skies is an excellent YA science fiction romance; I am ready for the next one!
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March 4, 2018
I’m not really a big alien fan and wasn’t really sure if this book was going to be my cup of tea - but how wrong was I!
I loved the intergalactic love story between Skye and Ethan. It was very reminiscent of Twilight and the love story between Bella and Edward (forbidden love with the hint of danger in them getting too close and the love triangle including Taylor).
The writing was great and very well paced. Nothing seemed to drag or slow the story down. The characters were interesting and engaging and drew you in to their own emotional dilemmas. Each character has their own flaws but all demonstrate the ability to love unconditionally and the strength to fight for what they believe in.
I particularly liked all the astrology and stargazing elements of the story as they were very much based on fact but added extra depth to this fictional and fascinating story.
Fantastic read with a cliffhanger ending to keep you wanting more!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.
I loved the intergalactic love story between Skye and Ethan. It was very reminiscent of Twilight and the love story between Bella and Edward (forbidden love with the hint of danger in them getting too close and the love triangle including Taylor).
The writing was great and very well paced. Nothing seemed to drag or slow the story down. The characters were interesting and engaging and drew you in to their own emotional dilemmas. Each character has their own flaws but all demonstrate the ability to love unconditionally and the strength to fight for what they believe in.
I particularly liked all the astrology and stargazing elements of the story as they were very much based on fact but added extra depth to this fictional and fascinating story.
Fantastic read with a cliffhanger ending to keep you wanting more!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.
October 15, 2018
Forbidden romance? Check.
Aliens and Space? Check.
Star-crossed lovers (literally)? Check.
Colliding Skies is a novel that you must read if you enjoy these elements. It was so fun to see Ethan and Skye together and their romance unfold!
Part of what makes Colliding Skies so special is the world building. Although the alien race may seem like perfection to some, I really felt this element made them even more tempting and deadlier to the humans in this book. It made the romance even spicier for me, as it shows Ethan fall for Skye... a smart, beautiful young woman from Earth who doesn't have the same abilities and knowledge as The Celestrians do. Going through the drama of being together despite what people think or say is something I feel a lot of teens may find relatable as many parents and friend groups may be skeptical about a relationship when it first starts.
The ending cliffhanger of this book left me wanting more of the excitement! I'm really excited to read the sequel when it releases!
This is a definite read for those who enjoy The Fifth Wave or romance in their YA.
Aliens and Space? Check.
Star-crossed lovers (literally)? Check.
Colliding Skies is a novel that you must read if you enjoy these elements. It was so fun to see Ethan and Skye together and their romance unfold!
Part of what makes Colliding Skies so special is the world building. Although the alien race may seem like perfection to some, I really felt this element made them even more tempting and deadlier to the humans in this book. It made the romance even spicier for me, as it shows Ethan fall for Skye... a smart, beautiful young woman from Earth who doesn't have the same abilities and knowledge as The Celestrians do. Going through the drama of being together despite what people think or say is something I feel a lot of teens may find relatable as many parents and friend groups may be skeptical about a relationship when it first starts.
The ending cliffhanger of this book left me wanting more of the excitement! I'm really excited to read the sequel when it releases!
This is a definite read for those who enjoy The Fifth Wave or romance in their YA.
May 9, 2018
This book is fantastic. It grabs you from page one and holds on until the end. I can't wait to see what the writer comes up with next!
March 6, 2018
# What I liked
So, first of all, I really liked the alien invasion. Alien coming down on planet earth and looking like human beings. (Only flaw they are perfect in every way imaginable) And that already at the beginning of the book! I really enjoyed that because the author came directly to the point! Next thing I like in a sci-fi book is when Space is involved. I'm kind of fascinated by Space. Don't ask me why because I don't have an answer to that but I'm just obsessed with it. (Fun Fact: I hate Star Wars).
Colliding Skies is a fast-paced novel and I'm sure that most of the sci-fi lovers will enjoy reading. Skye's parents were hilarious! I really loved them and it's too bad that I didn't think of underlining some quotes so that I could share them with you.
And in this book, we also get a cliffhanger to enjoy. I think by now everyone knows that I love these. However only when they are well written and here it was the case. I can't wait for the next book to come out and read more about Skye and the aliens.
I also know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but please look at this! It's b-e-a-u-tiful!!! And the story is great!
# What I disliked
I didn't like the love triangle. It felt awkward. (I know love triangles should feel awkward. But yeah I didn't like it here) I just thought that it happened too fast. Another thing I didn't enjoy was that the aliens were too perfect. They had no flaws, they were intelligent, beautiful and superior in every way.
An ARC was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
So, first of all, I really liked the alien invasion. Alien coming down on planet earth and looking like human beings. (Only flaw they are perfect in every way imaginable) And that already at the beginning of the book! I really enjoyed that because the author came directly to the point! Next thing I like in a sci-fi book is when Space is involved. I'm kind of fascinated by Space. Don't ask me why because I don't have an answer to that but I'm just obsessed with it. (Fun Fact: I hate Star Wars).
Colliding Skies is a fast-paced novel and I'm sure that most of the sci-fi lovers will enjoy reading. Skye's parents were hilarious! I really loved them and it's too bad that I didn't think of underlining some quotes so that I could share them with you.
And in this book, we also get a cliffhanger to enjoy. I think by now everyone knows that I love these. However only when they are well written and here it was the case. I can't wait for the next book to come out and read more about Skye and the aliens.
I also know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but please look at this! It's b-e-a-u-tiful!!! And the story is great!
# What I disliked
I didn't like the love triangle. It felt awkward. (I know love triangles should feel awkward. But yeah I didn't like it here) I just thought that it happened too fast. Another thing I didn't enjoy was that the aliens were too perfect. They had no flaws, they were intelligent, beautiful and superior in every way.
An ARC was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
February 21, 2018
4.5 Stars
**I was given a copy of this by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
EVERYONE NEEDS TO PICK THIS UP WHEN IT COMES OUT ON MARCH 6TH!
I'm not usually into sci-fi so I was a bit hesitant about this one. But wow! What usually takes me a couple days to read, I finished in about 24 hours!
It was so hard to put this book down. From the beginning, I fell in love with the characters right off the bat.
I will admit (because I was obsessed with it when it was first published) this book does remind me a lot of The 5th Wave. Especially how it references the stars and cassiopeia.
Regardless, it was fast paced, characters were amazing, plot was amazing and I highly recommend readers picking this up when it comes out March 6th!
**I was given a copy of this by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
EVERYONE NEEDS TO PICK THIS UP WHEN IT COMES OUT ON MARCH 6TH!
I'm not usually into sci-fi so I was a bit hesitant about this one. But wow! What usually takes me a couple days to read, I finished in about 24 hours!
It was so hard to put this book down. From the beginning, I fell in love with the characters right off the bat.
I will admit (because I was obsessed with it when it was first published) this book does remind me a lot of The 5th Wave. Especially how it references the stars and cassiopeia.
Regardless, it was fast paced, characters were amazing, plot was amazing and I highly recommend readers picking this up when it comes out March 6th!
February 15, 2018
Quirky teen romance that makes you fall in love with the stars in the sky and hunky aliens light years beyond. Its Twilight with a dab of The Lunar Chronicles and a dash of Strange the Dreamer.
March 23, 2020
This was an intriguing sci-fi story filled with romance and drama and danger. I was instantly drawn into it and I loved the character of Skye and her obsession with the stars and love. This is a great read for people of all ages and it is one of my favorite stories that I’ve read this year.
March 15, 2018
Synopsis:
Since Skye Reiley can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions. The Celeians promise many things. An end to disease, global warming, and famine. The knowledge to help humankind. Despite the suspicions surrounding the intriguing aliens and rising anti-alien protests, Skye gives Ethan her trust, and eventually her heart. The very heart he could stop with a lethal electrifying touch of his hand. When the Magistrate, a council of alien leaders, threatens to put an end to their interspecies relationship, following her heart could cost Skye her life and the lives of everyone she loves. Not even light can escape the pull of a black hole.
Story:
When reading this book, I would have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I thought there was a lot of action, that was well-written. I surprisingly enjoyed the romance in the story; between the out-of-this-world beautiful Celeian, Ethan, and the ordinary star-gazer, Skye. However, the part I enjoyed the most, when reading this story, was the space-travel. I thought the author masterfully wrote the star-gazing and space-travel portions of the book, so much so that I felt like I was zipping through space along with the two lovebirds.
While I did enjoy the majority of this book, there were a few issues I had with the story-line. For instance, I didn't think the relationship between Ethan and Skye was well-developed enough. There was no real reason as to why they were so in love with each other, it kind of just happened. Which falls into the insta-love trope, that I am not too fond of anymore. While they did have electrifying chemistry, I just couldn't understand why they were together. Other than just being physically attracted to each other. In fact, I really liked Skye and her former boyfriend, Taylor, who she dumps to be with Ethan. I thought that relationship was more fleshed out, than her relationship with Ethan. To me, Ethan was a bit creepy, as he continuously stalked Skye to make sure that she was doing all right. I just thought the romance was a bit juvenile, and nothing too special.
I was disappointed that the romance was the main focus of the majority of this book, even though to me it was nothing truly special. I really wished the author spent more time on the political intrigue between the Celeians and the Humans, because those were the most interesting parts of the book. A part from the space-travel portions of the book, I was really intrigued by this idea that the Celeians promised to make Earth free of disease, global warming, and many other things the Earth suffers from. I would’ve liked to see how they were going to accomplish that, and if the humans would let them. I would’ve enjoyed this book a lot more, and would’ve given it a higher rating, if the author delved more deeply into that aspect of the book.
Writing:
This was the first book I read from Oftomes Publishing, that didn’t really suffer from editing problems. I thought this book was well-written, especially through the plot-line and action. I also thought the aliens in the story were well-crafted. I really enjoyed the fact, that they physically looked like humans, but had a lot of different viewpoints than humans. Especially in how they think the world should be saved. I also really enjoyed the pacing of this book, I thought the action provided for a quick read.
Throughout the story, I could tell that Debbie Zaken was really passionate about space and space-travel. Especially, when Ethan would take Skye traveling throughout space. Those parts were really special to me, and stood-out from the story.
However, I did think this story lacked from character development, and was definitely a more plot-driven book. While I think the author wrote the plot very well, I still would’ve liked some more character-development. But, that is just my taste in reading, I am definitely more of a character-driven person than a plot-driven reader. I also think the romance fell into that insta-love trope, that I just don’t gravitate towards anymore.
All in all, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is why I gave this book a higher rating, than most of the books I have read from this publishing company.
World:
The world wasn’t much different than our present world, so world-building wasn’t too prominent of a factor in this story, similar to Vicious. However, with that being said, I really loved the space and space-travel explorations of this book. I also, thought the alien-race was something very original, for it being a YA sci-fi.
Characters:
As mentioned earlier, I didn't find the characters all that interesting or well-developed. But, that doesn’t mean I didn't like them.
Skye Reilly:
I thought Skye was a really smart girl, which is something I love seeing in YA novels these days. I love seeing, strong, independent, intelligent main female protagonists in this genre, because this is something that definitely lacked in YA when I was reading it prominently at a younger age. I could also appreciate how rebellious she was from her parents, sneaking out to see Ethan, even when her parents told her not to. I thought that was something a teenager would do, in that type of situation. However, I did think her intentions for breaking up with Taylor, was kind of juvenile, and didn't really make sense. But, that’s just because I didn’t really think, Ethan and Skye’s relationship made sense.
Ethan:
While I did love the chemistry between Ethan and Skye, I thought he was kind of creepy. He pretty much stalked her throughout the majority of the book, even though he said that he was only trying to protect her. I didn’t think he was anything special, and thought there relationship only existed because of his out-of-this-world beauty. However, I did love his relationship with his sisters, he really put all of his trust into the woman in his family. Which I absolutely adored.
Taylor:
I actually thought Taylor was more fleshed out than Ethan was, and was honestly rooting for him and Skye to stay together. While there were some moments in the book involving him, that I found extremely annoying. I thought he was more relatable than Ethan, and not just because he was human. He actually had flaws that I could relate to, and I thought Skye was actually turning him into a better human being.
Emily and Lucas:
I absolutely adored the best friends in this story, and at some points thought they were more interesting than our main characters. They provided some comic relief, throughout all the cosmic chaos.
In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed Colliding Skies, and thought it was one of the best books I have received from Oftomes Publishing. I thought it was well-written, out-of-this-world fun, and action-packed. However, I did wish there was more political intrigue, and less romance. For those reasons, I rated it a 3.75 stars instead of a 4/5 stars!
Thank you Oftomes Publishing for sending me a free arc for review, I really enjoyed this one!
Since Skye Reiley can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions. The Celeians promise many things. An end to disease, global warming, and famine. The knowledge to help humankind. Despite the suspicions surrounding the intriguing aliens and rising anti-alien protests, Skye gives Ethan her trust, and eventually her heart. The very heart he could stop with a lethal electrifying touch of his hand. When the Magistrate, a council of alien leaders, threatens to put an end to their interspecies relationship, following her heart could cost Skye her life and the lives of everyone she loves. Not even light can escape the pull of a black hole.
Story:
When reading this book, I would have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I thought there was a lot of action, that was well-written. I surprisingly enjoyed the romance in the story; between the out-of-this-world beautiful Celeian, Ethan, and the ordinary star-gazer, Skye. However, the part I enjoyed the most, when reading this story, was the space-travel. I thought the author masterfully wrote the star-gazing and space-travel portions of the book, so much so that I felt like I was zipping through space along with the two lovebirds.
While I did enjoy the majority of this book, there were a few issues I had with the story-line. For instance, I didn't think the relationship between Ethan and Skye was well-developed enough. There was no real reason as to why they were so in love with each other, it kind of just happened. Which falls into the insta-love trope, that I am not too fond of anymore. While they did have electrifying chemistry, I just couldn't understand why they were together. Other than just being physically attracted to each other. In fact, I really liked Skye and her former boyfriend, Taylor, who she dumps to be with Ethan. I thought that relationship was more fleshed out, than her relationship with Ethan. To me, Ethan was a bit creepy, as he continuously stalked Skye to make sure that she was doing all right. I just thought the romance was a bit juvenile, and nothing too special.
I was disappointed that the romance was the main focus of the majority of this book, even though to me it was nothing truly special. I really wished the author spent more time on the political intrigue between the Celeians and the Humans, because those were the most interesting parts of the book. A part from the space-travel portions of the book, I was really intrigued by this idea that the Celeians promised to make Earth free of disease, global warming, and many other things the Earth suffers from. I would’ve liked to see how they were going to accomplish that, and if the humans would let them. I would’ve enjoyed this book a lot more, and would’ve given it a higher rating, if the author delved more deeply into that aspect of the book.
Writing:
This was the first book I read from Oftomes Publishing, that didn’t really suffer from editing problems. I thought this book was well-written, especially through the plot-line and action. I also thought the aliens in the story were well-crafted. I really enjoyed the fact, that they physically looked like humans, but had a lot of different viewpoints than humans. Especially in how they think the world should be saved. I also really enjoyed the pacing of this book, I thought the action provided for a quick read.
Throughout the story, I could tell that Debbie Zaken was really passionate about space and space-travel. Especially, when Ethan would take Skye traveling throughout space. Those parts were really special to me, and stood-out from the story.
However, I did think this story lacked from character development, and was definitely a more plot-driven book. While I think the author wrote the plot very well, I still would’ve liked some more character-development. But, that is just my taste in reading, I am definitely more of a character-driven person than a plot-driven reader. I also think the romance fell into that insta-love trope, that I just don’t gravitate towards anymore.
All in all, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is why I gave this book a higher rating, than most of the books I have read from this publishing company.
World:
The world wasn’t much different than our present world, so world-building wasn’t too prominent of a factor in this story, similar to Vicious. However, with that being said, I really loved the space and space-travel explorations of this book. I also, thought the alien-race was something very original, for it being a YA sci-fi.
Characters:
As mentioned earlier, I didn't find the characters all that interesting or well-developed. But, that doesn’t mean I didn't like them.
Skye Reilly:
I thought Skye was a really smart girl, which is something I love seeing in YA novels these days. I love seeing, strong, independent, intelligent main female protagonists in this genre, because this is something that definitely lacked in YA when I was reading it prominently at a younger age. I could also appreciate how rebellious she was from her parents, sneaking out to see Ethan, even when her parents told her not to. I thought that was something a teenager would do, in that type of situation. However, I did think her intentions for breaking up with Taylor, was kind of juvenile, and didn't really make sense. But, that’s just because I didn’t really think, Ethan and Skye’s relationship made sense.
Ethan:
While I did love the chemistry between Ethan and Skye, I thought he was kind of creepy. He pretty much stalked her throughout the majority of the book, even though he said that he was only trying to protect her. I didn’t think he was anything special, and thought there relationship only existed because of his out-of-this-world beauty. However, I did love his relationship with his sisters, he really put all of his trust into the woman in his family. Which I absolutely adored.
Taylor:
I actually thought Taylor was more fleshed out than Ethan was, and was honestly rooting for him and Skye to stay together. While there were some moments in the book involving him, that I found extremely annoying. I thought he was more relatable than Ethan, and not just because he was human. He actually had flaws that I could relate to, and I thought Skye was actually turning him into a better human being.
Emily and Lucas:
I absolutely adored the best friends in this story, and at some points thought they were more interesting than our main characters. They provided some comic relief, throughout all the cosmic chaos.
In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed Colliding Skies, and thought it was one of the best books I have received from Oftomes Publishing. I thought it was well-written, out-of-this-world fun, and action-packed. However, I did wish there was more political intrigue, and less romance. For those reasons, I rated it a 3.75 stars instead of a 4/5 stars!
Thank you Oftomes Publishing for sending me a free arc for review, I really enjoyed this one!
June 3, 2019
I was excited to read this because the blurb sounded fantastic. The book started with a bang and I immediately liked the characters of Skye and Taylor. I thought the depiction of the aliens and their effect on the citizens was really compelling and the potential for great tension was there. When Skye met the aliens, including Ethan, things started to move very fast.
I was disappointed in how the relationship between Skye and Taylor played out. About halfway through the book, things reminded me very strongly of Twilight. (I enjoyed Twilight so that wasn't a bad thing.)
Overall, I think the author has crafted a very good story with a great set up for book 2, which promises to get into more of the action and adventure that the first and last chapters of this book provided.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I was disappointed in how the relationship between Skye and Taylor played out. About halfway through the book, things reminded me very strongly of Twilight. (I enjoyed Twilight so that wasn't a bad thing.)
Overall, I think the author has crafted a very good story with a great set up for book 2, which promises to get into more of the action and adventure that the first and last chapters of this book provided.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
March 5, 2018
2.5 stars
This book started off so strong and had so much potential. Unfortunately it turned in tp a book only about a fprbidden relationship that was a bit too much of 'instalove' for me. While a forbidden relationship could've been interesting, I want more than just that. We barely learn anything about these aliens and what they want. Besides a little about the news through the chapter, it's mostly Skye thinking about her relationship. The most exciting parts of the book don't come until the last 20 pages. In my opinion that should have happened a lot sooner.
Full review to follow on: thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com
This book started off so strong and had so much potential. Unfortunately it turned in tp a book only about a fprbidden relationship that was a bit too much of 'instalove' for me. While a forbidden relationship could've been interesting, I want more than just that. We barely learn anything about these aliens and what they want. Besides a little about the news through the chapter, it's mostly Skye thinking about her relationship. The most exciting parts of the book don't come until the last 20 pages. In my opinion that should have happened a lot sooner.
Full review to follow on: thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com
July 11, 2019
Young adult science fiction is definitely not a genre that I read very often, but I did enjoy this one. I remember being seventeen and reading Twilight for the first time, and this was a very similar Edward/Bella type romance - an average girl and a handsome, otherworldly creature get together, but what is he hiding?? Fans of the genre will most certainly like this one, and to be perfectly honest I actually did find myself embracing my inner geek during the science/astronomy dialogue. 3.5/5
April 12, 2018
This book was everything. It had the perfect romance, the perfect action, and the perfect plot twists. I am so excited for the sequel, which I wish was out already. I was truly in my feels! All of the characters had such unique qualities to them and ahhhh it was so good!
March 18, 2018
Imagine a world where aliens walk among us. They help our people, share their technology, and look like the human benchmark of an intergalactic supermodel. These aliens have abilities that the human race can only dream of, and they want to share them with all of humanity.
Sounds a little too good to be true, doesn’t it?
That is the premise of Colliding Skies. This novel tells the story of Skye, the smart and pretty young woman who has been watching the stars for as long as she can remember. She has her future all mapped out, until the arrival of the Celeians changes everything.
The Celeians claim to come in peace and offer their knowledge to help mankind bring about an end to all disease, global warming, and world hunger. The arrival of our intergalactic friends brings down a hailstorm of suspicion and anti-alien protests, but that doesn��t stop Skye from falling for one of the aliens when they encounter each other.
Ethan is inhumanely beautiful and incredibly deadly. Unless he keeps perfect control, his electrifying touch could kill Skye. Despite this struggle the two of them fight to be together, even when facing the disapproval of the Council of alien leaders.
With suspicion of the Celeians everywhere, Skye and Ethan must fight to be together, even if it could cost them their very lives.
When I received a copy of this book from Oftomes Publishing in exchange for an honest review I was incredibly excited to read it. I’ve been going through a sci-fi kick and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I dove into it and had to force myself to finish. I’m not saying that this book is bad, but it just didn’t do it for me. I gave it three out of five stars.
Colliding Skies felt like a blend of the Twilight Zone episode ‘To Serve Man’ and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. The demographic is for Young Adults but the beginning felt a little too forced when it came to the high school drama. It was almost as if the writer was taking a nod from teenage television dramas rather than memories of actual high school. I wasn’t really able to get into the book because of this until the aliens arrived. That is when the story picked up for me and I was able to forget that I was actually reading a book. Once this happened I fell into the story and was able to actually see the events unfolding in my head.
I felt that the Celeians were a unique brand of alien. Rather than touting the ‘World Peace’ rhetoric at all times, we got to get deeper into the motivations of the Celeians and their reaction to the interspecies dynamic. Most alien books I’ve read goes to one extreme or the other, and it was refreshing to see the aliens were more than just two-dimensional puppets to push the plot forward. They had agendas and motivations that made them more well-rounded characters. I would have liked to have learned more of their origins and details about their home world, but since this is just the first book in the series I know that there is room for this to come up later.
The relationship between Bella and Ed… I mean Skye and Ethan, was a little too reminiscent of Twilight for me. The dynamic between the two (she, being human, he being an alien that could kill her with a single touch) was a little too on the nose. It felt a little bit like twilight fan-fiction that had been altered just enough so the author wouldn’t be accused of plagiarism.
I realize that this review has seemed pretty negative so far, but Colliding Skies does have its good points too. The book itself was well written and flowed easily. The characters were a little stale, but they felt sincere in their motivations and actions.
I did like the underlying skepticism in many of the characters. Of course, Skye was blinded by the shiny new alien, but at least the secondary characters and the government were wary of the motivations of the aliens. The book ended on a cliffhanger, which is understandable considering it is the first book in the series, but I don’t think I will personally be picking up the sequels.
I would recommend Colliding Skies for the younger spectrum of the YA scale (mostly 13-18 year old’s). Again, I gave this book three out of five stars.
Sounds a little too good to be true, doesn’t it?
That is the premise of Colliding Skies. This novel tells the story of Skye, the smart and pretty young woman who has been watching the stars for as long as she can remember. She has her future all mapped out, until the arrival of the Celeians changes everything.
The Celeians claim to come in peace and offer their knowledge to help mankind bring about an end to all disease, global warming, and world hunger. The arrival of our intergalactic friends brings down a hailstorm of suspicion and anti-alien protests, but that doesn��t stop Skye from falling for one of the aliens when they encounter each other.
Ethan is inhumanely beautiful and incredibly deadly. Unless he keeps perfect control, his electrifying touch could kill Skye. Despite this struggle the two of them fight to be together, even when facing the disapproval of the Council of alien leaders.
With suspicion of the Celeians everywhere, Skye and Ethan must fight to be together, even if it could cost them their very lives.
When I received a copy of this book from Oftomes Publishing in exchange for an honest review I was incredibly excited to read it. I’ve been going through a sci-fi kick and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I dove into it and had to force myself to finish. I’m not saying that this book is bad, but it just didn’t do it for me. I gave it three out of five stars.
Colliding Skies felt like a blend of the Twilight Zone episode ‘To Serve Man’ and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. The demographic is for Young Adults but the beginning felt a little too forced when it came to the high school drama. It was almost as if the writer was taking a nod from teenage television dramas rather than memories of actual high school. I wasn’t really able to get into the book because of this until the aliens arrived. That is when the story picked up for me and I was able to forget that I was actually reading a book. Once this happened I fell into the story and was able to actually see the events unfolding in my head.
I felt that the Celeians were a unique brand of alien. Rather than touting the ‘World Peace’ rhetoric at all times, we got to get deeper into the motivations of the Celeians and their reaction to the interspecies dynamic. Most alien books I’ve read goes to one extreme or the other, and it was refreshing to see the aliens were more than just two-dimensional puppets to push the plot forward. They had agendas and motivations that made them more well-rounded characters. I would have liked to have learned more of their origins and details about their home world, but since this is just the first book in the series I know that there is room for this to come up later.
The relationship between Bella and Ed… I mean Skye and Ethan, was a little too reminiscent of Twilight for me. The dynamic between the two (she, being human, he being an alien that could kill her with a single touch) was a little too on the nose. It felt a little bit like twilight fan-fiction that had been altered just enough so the author wouldn’t be accused of plagiarism.
I realize that this review has seemed pretty negative so far, but Colliding Skies does have its good points too. The book itself was well written and flowed easily. The characters were a little stale, but they felt sincere in their motivations and actions.
I did like the underlying skepticism in many of the characters. Of course, Skye was blinded by the shiny new alien, but at least the secondary characters and the government were wary of the motivations of the aliens. The book ended on a cliffhanger, which is understandable considering it is the first book in the series, but I don’t think I will personally be picking up the sequels.
I would recommend Colliding Skies for the younger spectrum of the YA scale (mostly 13-18 year old’s). Again, I gave this book three out of five stars.
February 24, 2018
Colliding Skies e-ARC Review
By: Ed Pena
(I was given a free copy of this novel in return for an honest review, so with that, here is my completely honest, spoiler-free review of Debbie Zaken’s debut novel: “Colliding Skies”)
I don’t know what else to say, Debbie Zaken’s “Colliding Skies” was an absolute blast to read. It’s one of those books that’s incredibly hard to put down; I was pulled into Skye and Ethan’s world so much faster than I expected to be and by the end of the novel was sad to leave. The book itself is just absolutely inthralling.
I’ve always been a huge fan of sci-fi, and as a sci-fi book, this does not disappoint in the slightest. Her references to pop-culture and real world events (not just limited to sci-fi) had me entertained and laughing all the way through. Not to mention how well she knows astronomy in this novel. She taught me a thing or two over the course of Skye and Ethan’s real world space talk.
I’ve read sci-fi books before, and I’ve read books with romance in them before. But I’ve never read a book that depends so heavily on the romantic side of things, and I think that made the novel even better for me. This novel is the perfect introduction into that more romantically centered book world. Debbie Zaken pulled me into the sci-fi, romantic world she created and helped me find a home there. It’s as if she wanted me to be there, and thanks to that, I’ll definitely be sure to check out more romantically centered books in the future. The romance in “Colliding Skies” was handled very well.
The relationships in “Colliding Skies,” were executed extremely well. The chemistry (both romantic and platonic) between the characters and how that chemistry shifted for the better or for the worse based on their current situations felt genuine, almost like these people could actually be real. That’s another thing that I loved about “Colliding Skies,” she took this out-of-this-world situation (literally) and made it feel real. Very well done.
Now, it might sound like I’m raving about this book a little bit too much, but it’s a really good book. Don’t get me wrong here, “Colliding Skies” is not perfect. If I said Debbie Zaken’s debut novel was perfect, I’d either be way too nice of a reviewer or I’d be lying to you. Yet, imperfection is not a bad thing. There’s always room for improvement, and I am super excited to see how Debbie Zaken will improve from this level in her future works. After how much I enjoyed this entry in this series, I’ll definitely be sure to check out her future novels and stories. “Colliding Skies” is “imperfectly perfect” as Ethan would put it, and much like Ethan to Skye, I love this book even more because of that.
Now, while it’s on my mind, let me talk about that ending (again, there are no spoilers here). It was absolutely stunning! The way she brought everything full-circle, the intrigue for the sequel that specifically the last chapter built up and how she tied up the character arcs (for this novel, because we’re definitely going to get some more development for Skye and Ethan in the sequel) was put together masterfully. Skye’s realization about a line of dialogue Ethan had said earlier on in the novel on page 367 (you’ll know what I’m talking about when/if you’ve read it) had me in shock. It was just done so well, again with that “bringing everything full-circle.”
The final thing I wish to touch upon in this review is the dialogue. It was handled very well. It felt realistic and fluid from beginning to end. Debbie Zaken has a true gift in this field. All the characters felt unique through their dialogue. Every character had something special about the way that they talked that made them all feel unique and more realistic. Ethan had his tendency to speak without ever using contractions while Chase, Skye’s younger brother had a tendency to use a lot of slang mixed with contractions.
The dialogue also helped build chemistry between the characters based on their reactions and how they spoke to each other. From a reader’s standpoint, you won’t be disappointed here, and from a writer’s standpoint, there’s a lot you can learn from the way Debbie Zaken writes her dialogue.
In all, “Colliding Skies” is a fun, investing, creative YA novel that I highly recommend. Please be sure to give this story a chance, you will not be disappointed. Debbie Zaken is a great writer with much more potential beyond her current level and I cannot wait for the sequel to “Colliding Skies.”
Want to read the first chapter of “Colliding Skies” for yourself? Check it out right here: https://www.oftomes.com/single-post/2...
You can order/pre-order (depending on the time that you are reading this review) “Colliding Skies (Out March 6th, 2018) on Amazon right here: https://www.amazon.com/Colliding-Skie...
Check out Oftomes, the amazing company that published this novel and granted me the privilege of writing an ARC review for “Colliding Skies:” https://www.oftomes.com
They also have a Twitter, follow them here: https://twitter.com/oftomes
Check out ELP Book Design, a company that’s made (and is still making) some absolutely stunning covers for novels including that of “Colliding Skies:” https://eightlittlepages.com
Take a look at Debbie Zaken’s (the fantastic author of “Colliding Skies” if you haven’t picked up on that by this point in the review) website right here: http://www.debbiezaken.com
And of course, follow Debbie on Twitter right here: https://twitter.com/dkzaken
If you enjoyed this review, why not check out my GoodReads page where I am attempting to post more reviews like this for other books I’ve read/am reading: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7...
I also have a Twitter. You can check it out if you so desire right here: https://twitter.com/edrpena21
-Ed Pena
2/17/18
By: Ed Pena
(I was given a free copy of this novel in return for an honest review, so with that, here is my completely honest, spoiler-free review of Debbie Zaken’s debut novel: “Colliding Skies”)
I don’t know what else to say, Debbie Zaken’s “Colliding Skies” was an absolute blast to read. It’s one of those books that’s incredibly hard to put down; I was pulled into Skye and Ethan’s world so much faster than I expected to be and by the end of the novel was sad to leave. The book itself is just absolutely inthralling.
I’ve always been a huge fan of sci-fi, and as a sci-fi book, this does not disappoint in the slightest. Her references to pop-culture and real world events (not just limited to sci-fi) had me entertained and laughing all the way through. Not to mention how well she knows astronomy in this novel. She taught me a thing or two over the course of Skye and Ethan’s real world space talk.
I’ve read sci-fi books before, and I’ve read books with romance in them before. But I’ve never read a book that depends so heavily on the romantic side of things, and I think that made the novel even better for me. This novel is the perfect introduction into that more romantically centered book world. Debbie Zaken pulled me into the sci-fi, romantic world she created and helped me find a home there. It’s as if she wanted me to be there, and thanks to that, I’ll definitely be sure to check out more romantically centered books in the future. The romance in “Colliding Skies” was handled very well.
The relationships in “Colliding Skies,” were executed extremely well. The chemistry (both romantic and platonic) between the characters and how that chemistry shifted for the better or for the worse based on their current situations felt genuine, almost like these people could actually be real. That’s another thing that I loved about “Colliding Skies,” she took this out-of-this-world situation (literally) and made it feel real. Very well done.
Now, it might sound like I’m raving about this book a little bit too much, but it’s a really good book. Don’t get me wrong here, “Colliding Skies” is not perfect. If I said Debbie Zaken’s debut novel was perfect, I’d either be way too nice of a reviewer or I’d be lying to you. Yet, imperfection is not a bad thing. There’s always room for improvement, and I am super excited to see how Debbie Zaken will improve from this level in her future works. After how much I enjoyed this entry in this series, I’ll definitely be sure to check out her future novels and stories. “Colliding Skies” is “imperfectly perfect” as Ethan would put it, and much like Ethan to Skye, I love this book even more because of that.
Now, while it’s on my mind, let me talk about that ending (again, there are no spoilers here). It was absolutely stunning! The way she brought everything full-circle, the intrigue for the sequel that specifically the last chapter built up and how she tied up the character arcs (for this novel, because we’re definitely going to get some more development for Skye and Ethan in the sequel) was put together masterfully. Skye’s realization about a line of dialogue Ethan had said earlier on in the novel on page 367 (you’ll know what I’m talking about when/if you’ve read it) had me in shock. It was just done so well, again with that “bringing everything full-circle.”
The final thing I wish to touch upon in this review is the dialogue. It was handled very well. It felt realistic and fluid from beginning to end. Debbie Zaken has a true gift in this field. All the characters felt unique through their dialogue. Every character had something special about the way that they talked that made them all feel unique and more realistic. Ethan had his tendency to speak without ever using contractions while Chase, Skye’s younger brother had a tendency to use a lot of slang mixed with contractions.
The dialogue also helped build chemistry between the characters based on their reactions and how they spoke to each other. From a reader’s standpoint, you won’t be disappointed here, and from a writer’s standpoint, there’s a lot you can learn from the way Debbie Zaken writes her dialogue.
In all, “Colliding Skies” is a fun, investing, creative YA novel that I highly recommend. Please be sure to give this story a chance, you will not be disappointed. Debbie Zaken is a great writer with much more potential beyond her current level and I cannot wait for the sequel to “Colliding Skies.”
Want to read the first chapter of “Colliding Skies” for yourself? Check it out right here: https://www.oftomes.com/single-post/2...
You can order/pre-order (depending on the time that you are reading this review) “Colliding Skies (Out March 6th, 2018) on Amazon right here: https://www.amazon.com/Colliding-Skie...
Check out Oftomes, the amazing company that published this novel and granted me the privilege of writing an ARC review for “Colliding Skies:” https://www.oftomes.com
They also have a Twitter, follow them here: https://twitter.com/oftomes
Check out ELP Book Design, a company that’s made (and is still making) some absolutely stunning covers for novels including that of “Colliding Skies:” https://eightlittlepages.com
Take a look at Debbie Zaken’s (the fantastic author of “Colliding Skies” if you haven’t picked up on that by this point in the review) website right here: http://www.debbiezaken.com
And of course, follow Debbie on Twitter right here: https://twitter.com/dkzaken
If you enjoyed this review, why not check out my GoodReads page where I am attempting to post more reviews like this for other books I’ve read/am reading: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7...
I also have a Twitter. You can check it out if you so desire right here: https://twitter.com/edrpena21
-Ed Pena
2/17/18
February 19, 2018
*I would like to thank Oftomes Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
I couldn’t put this book down and I sure hope there’ll be a sequel!
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
Love triangle? Check.
Star crossed lovers? Check.
Hot aliens? Check.
Can’t really say I’m crazy about this book, but it’s an easy read and I have no clue as to why I couldn’t stop myself from reading another chapter, and then another, and another. Aliens aren’t really my thing but I can’t help but imagine Ethan as the hot Youtuber ....
“What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness.”
The thing that’s great about otherworldly creatures is their perspective of things. How do parents cope with a teenager dating an alien with neon blue eyes? I always find parents in YA fiction to sometimes be stupid. (Please let me explain) They tell their kid, “You are not allowed to meet that guy again.” Hello! He’s got powers, obviously they’ll find a way. Teenagers will stop at nothing to get their way. (I’ve been there, we lie to get what we want. We sneak around and stuff.)
“I have traveled eons through space and time to find you.”
And he showed Skye how far he traveled. The dates are super cute, but that tease every time they attempt to do something and poof! Something prevents them from doing it. Can’t say their love story is “us against the world” kind, but it a huge risk. Each party has a reason why it should be stopped, but as a hopeless romantic I stand beside love.
“Don’t worry about the food. If he doesn’t like it, there’s plenty of grass for him to graze on in the yard.”
Probably the best part I like about this book is the Celeian’s awesome technology. It’s like there’s nothing they couldn’t do, their tech is limitless.
The way this book ended just left so many doors open and I wonder if there’s a sequel because I think it’d be thrilling and ass-kicking. I just hope it won’t go downhill like the direction of The Hunger Games series.
I couldn’t put this book down and I sure hope there’ll be a sequel!
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
Love triangle? Check.
Star crossed lovers? Check.
Hot aliens? Check.
Can’t really say I’m crazy about this book, but it’s an easy read and I have no clue as to why I couldn’t stop myself from reading another chapter, and then another, and another. Aliens aren’t really my thing but I can’t help but imagine Ethan as the hot Youtuber ....
“What a strange illusion it is to suppose that beauty is goodness.”
The thing that’s great about otherworldly creatures is their perspective of things. How do parents cope with a teenager dating an alien with neon blue eyes? I always find parents in YA fiction to sometimes be stupid. (Please let me explain) They tell their kid, “You are not allowed to meet that guy again.” Hello! He’s got powers, obviously they’ll find a way. Teenagers will stop at nothing to get their way. (I’ve been there, we lie to get what we want. We sneak around and stuff.)
“I have traveled eons through space and time to find you.”
And he showed Skye how far he traveled. The dates are super cute, but that tease every time they attempt to do something and poof! Something prevents them from doing it. Can’t say their love story is “us against the world” kind, but it a huge risk. Each party has a reason why it should be stopped, but as a hopeless romantic I stand beside love.
“Don’t worry about the food. If he doesn’t like it, there’s plenty of grass for him to graze on in the yard.”
Probably the best part I like about this book is the Celeian’s awesome technology. It’s like there’s nothing they couldn’t do, their tech is limitless.
The way this book ended just left so many doors open and I wonder if there’s a sequel because I think it’d be thrilling and ass-kicking. I just hope it won’t go downhill like the direction of The Hunger Games series.
February 20, 2018
COLLIDING SKIES
•
• ⭐️: 4,35/5
•
•
💬: Since Skye Reilly can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions.
•
•
🔰: This book gave me major feelings and it reminded me so much of CW’s Star Crossed (a series that unfortunately was canceled after one season). I don’t know how to explain but this book had some parts where I was comforted by its descriptions of galaxies and the sky. The sparkly navy images that flashed through my eyes while reading about Ethan and Skye’s dates where mesmerizing, so pretty that I’m actually wanting a kind of date like that (minus the dizziness hehe).
I didn’t like Skye that much at the beginning, but that’s just because I feel like I see tons of female main characters like her. Although I enjoyed reading the book on where she geeks out about galaxy stuff, sometimes. The dialogues and the rest of the book made her stand out later on so by the end of the book she became more interesting and I cared a lot about her. What also helped was her INSANE chemistry with Ethan and adorable dates.
Another interesting thing? A brazilian character, that even had lines in portuguese! LOVED THAT.
Can’t wait to see what happens next on this adventure about love and doing what’s right! Omg the end of this book made me so sad but at the same time, hopeful for a happy ending! This made me root so much for Ethan and Skye that now that it ended I WANT THE NEXT BOOK ASAP!
•
• ⭐️: 4,35/5
•
•
💬: Since Skye Reilly can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions.
•
•
🔰: This book gave me major feelings and it reminded me so much of CW’s Star Crossed (a series that unfortunately was canceled after one season). I don’t know how to explain but this book had some parts where I was comforted by its descriptions of galaxies and the sky. The sparkly navy images that flashed through my eyes while reading about Ethan and Skye’s dates where mesmerizing, so pretty that I’m actually wanting a kind of date like that (minus the dizziness hehe).
I didn’t like Skye that much at the beginning, but that’s just because I feel like I see tons of female main characters like her. Although I enjoyed reading the book on where she geeks out about galaxy stuff, sometimes. The dialogues and the rest of the book made her stand out later on so by the end of the book she became more interesting and I cared a lot about her. What also helped was her INSANE chemistry with Ethan and adorable dates.
Another interesting thing? A brazilian character, that even had lines in portuguese! LOVED THAT.
Can’t wait to see what happens next on this adventure about love and doing what’s right! Omg the end of this book made me so sad but at the same time, hopeful for a happy ending! This made me root so much for Ethan and Skye that now that it ended I WANT THE NEXT BOOK ASAP!
February 19, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! I thought the plot by itself was very captivating, and I loved the fact that we see a female character in the STEM field that has a true drive to be in that field.
The alien race used in this story was very unnerving to see, as I could tell from the very beginning that something was very off about them. The story did not let on to why that was until closer to the end, which was great in my opinion. I did not expect the story to make as many twist and turns as it did, and left me on the edge of my seat throughout a good third of it.
I really enjoyed all of the characters that were incorporated in this story, even if they weren’t all the best people in my opinion. I did not care for the insta-love trope, however, that was used between Skye and Ethan. But even with the insta-love, I still loved the relationship that did end up blossoming between them, as we got to see that it was attraction at first sight, and then grew to love. I think it still moved a little too quick for me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself rooting for them more and more as the story progressed, which surprised me greatly, as I absolutely DESPISE insta-love tropes in any book.
The humor throughout the book was well done, and the voice of the main character Skye was very natural and realistic to me. I truly felt like I was experiencing her emotions with her as the story progressed. I really liked how she bounced off with her best friend, and how she was unwilling to be moved because people did not agree with her choices. I felt that Skye was very naive throughout a lot of the story, but was realistic as she knows nothing about these aliens and what they truly want, let alone Ethan.
I felt that the book was very well-rounded altogether, and I am really excited to see this story continue! I think there is a lot of potential for a successful sequel following Skye and her adventures with these aliens.
The alien race used in this story was very unnerving to see, as I could tell from the very beginning that something was very off about them. The story did not let on to why that was until closer to the end, which was great in my opinion. I did not expect the story to make as many twist and turns as it did, and left me on the edge of my seat throughout a good third of it.
I really enjoyed all of the characters that were incorporated in this story, even if they weren’t all the best people in my opinion. I did not care for the insta-love trope, however, that was used between Skye and Ethan. But even with the insta-love, I still loved the relationship that did end up blossoming between them, as we got to see that it was attraction at first sight, and then grew to love. I think it still moved a little too quick for me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself rooting for them more and more as the story progressed, which surprised me greatly, as I absolutely DESPISE insta-love tropes in any book.
The humor throughout the book was well done, and the voice of the main character Skye was very natural and realistic to me. I truly felt like I was experiencing her emotions with her as the story progressed. I really liked how she bounced off with her best friend, and how she was unwilling to be moved because people did not agree with her choices. I felt that Skye was very naive throughout a lot of the story, but was realistic as she knows nothing about these aliens and what they truly want, let alone Ethan.
I felt that the book was very well-rounded altogether, and I am really excited to see this story continue! I think there is a lot of potential for a successful sequel following Skye and her adventures with these aliens.
Read
February 20, 2018This review was originally posted on my blog: https://aideensbookobsession.blogspot...
*I received an eARC of Colliding Skies from the publisher, OfTomes Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Publication:March 6th 2018 by Oftomes Publishing
Goodreads Description:
Since Skye Reilly can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions.
The Celeians promise many things. An end to disease, global warming, and famine. The knowledge to help humankind. Despite the suspicions surrounding the intriguing aliens and rising anti-alien protests, Skye gives Ethan her trust, and eventually her heart. The very heart he could stop with a lethal electrifying touch of his hand.
When the Magistrate, a council of alien leaders, threatens to put an end to their interspecies relationship, following her heart could cost Skye her life and the lives of everyone she loves.
Not even light can escape the pull of a black hole.
My thoughts:
Colliding Skies was a fast read but nothing spectacular. I was disappointed in it because of my expectations.I wanted more sci-fi elements and a big focus on the aliens and what we get is a romance(is it actually romance?more on that later) story with hints of sci-fi here an there that is very surface level.
The plot was a bit all over the place. The opening few chapters were fantastic and I was drawn straight in but then the pacing slowed right down and the story started to get dull and boring (for me anyway). There was a bit of action at the end that engaged me but I think it could have been better placed to keep readers interested.
I liked Skye at times but other times I wanted to shake some sense into her. She made some stupid decisions, which most YA main characters do but she had the chance to fix her mistakes and never did. I did like how she had an interest in space (diverse hobbies!) and how curious and inquisitive she was; she asks Ethan lots of question about his species which made reading interesting at times.
The romance is a huge part of the story and I wasn't a fan which I think is why I didn't enjoy the book. Firstly it is insta love galore; straight off the bat Ethan loves Skye and she loves him. They had like 3 conversations none of which were deep or meaningful or anything and she agrees to be in a relationship with him! Another major thing that turned me off the story was that Ethan seems to be obsessed with Skye. He crosses the line of stalker and it is just creepy. Multiple times he did things that were not healthy in a relationship- Skye even says she feels paranoid and uncomfortable because of his actions; he also hypnotises her even when she tells him not to and alters her mood. The toxic elements of their relationship are never addressed and I wanted Skye get as far away from Ethan as possible.
I am a big fan of sci-fi and find it so interesting comparing how authors approach the plot of aliens coming to earth; I was a bit underwhelmed with how it was handled- I was expecting so much more about the Celeians and would have liked to see how the government were interacting with them behind closed doors.
Colliding Skies does ends on a cliffhanger but I found myself not that interested in finding out what was going to happen next; I don't think I will pick up the next book in the series.
Overall in was an alright story and as fast read but it wasn't for me.
Thanks for reading,
A :)
*I received an eARC of Colliding Skies from the publisher, OfTomes Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Publication:March 6th 2018 by Oftomes Publishing
Goodreads Description:
Since Skye Reilly can remember, she has been looking up to the stars. With high school graduation upon her, her telescope in one hand and her college acceptance letter in the other, she has life as meticulously mapped out as her star chart. That is, until the Celeians arrive and she meets Ethan, an alluring alien. Ethan collides into her like an asteroid, causing a gravitational shift in Skye’s trajectory and hurling her life into a cataclysmic collision course of interplanetary proportions.
The Celeians promise many things. An end to disease, global warming, and famine. The knowledge to help humankind. Despite the suspicions surrounding the intriguing aliens and rising anti-alien protests, Skye gives Ethan her trust, and eventually her heart. The very heart he could stop with a lethal electrifying touch of his hand.
When the Magistrate, a council of alien leaders, threatens to put an end to their interspecies relationship, following her heart could cost Skye her life and the lives of everyone she loves.
Not even light can escape the pull of a black hole.
My thoughts:
Colliding Skies was a fast read but nothing spectacular. I was disappointed in it because of my expectations.I wanted more sci-fi elements and a big focus on the aliens and what we get is a romance(is it actually romance?more on that later) story with hints of sci-fi here an there that is very surface level.
The plot was a bit all over the place. The opening few chapters were fantastic and I was drawn straight in but then the pacing slowed right down and the story started to get dull and boring (for me anyway). There was a bit of action at the end that engaged me but I think it could have been better placed to keep readers interested.
I liked Skye at times but other times I wanted to shake some sense into her. She made some stupid decisions, which most YA main characters do but she had the chance to fix her mistakes and never did. I did like how she had an interest in space (diverse hobbies!) and how curious and inquisitive she was; she asks Ethan lots of question about his species which made reading interesting at times.
The romance is a huge part of the story and I wasn't a fan which I think is why I didn't enjoy the book. Firstly it is insta love galore; straight off the bat Ethan loves Skye and she loves him. They had like 3 conversations none of which were deep or meaningful or anything and she agrees to be in a relationship with him! Another major thing that turned me off the story was that Ethan seems to be obsessed with Skye. He crosses the line of stalker and it is just creepy. Multiple times he did things that were not healthy in a relationship- Skye even says she feels paranoid and uncomfortable because of his actions; he also hypnotises her even when she tells him not to and alters her mood. The toxic elements of their relationship are never addressed and I wanted Skye get as far away from Ethan as possible.
I am a big fan of sci-fi and find it so interesting comparing how authors approach the plot of aliens coming to earth; I was a bit underwhelmed with how it was handled- I was expecting so much more about the Celeians and would have liked to see how the government were interacting with them behind closed doors.
Colliding Skies does ends on a cliffhanger but I found myself not that interested in finding out what was going to happen next; I don't think I will pick up the next book in the series.
Overall in was an alright story and as fast read but it wasn't for me.
Thanks for reading,
A :)
March 4, 2018
I received the ARC of this book from OfTomes Publishing to read.
I loved this book so much. It reminded me of Starcrossed so much but still had a different feel. I enjoyed Skye's character. I love astronomy too so I knew as soon as she was into stars and all things astronomy that I liked her. It's super easy to read and is well written. It has lots of things going on so I was never bored at any part of it. I love Ethan! I mean who wouldn't. He is a blue-eyed alien hottie. Talk about book boyfriend material! He is so sweet and yet protective of Skye that it makes my heart melt. Taylor started off great and then I was a bit annoyed with him. I hope in the next book he learns to move on and not be such a jerk. This was a great read. I love aliens things and this was a great book to read if you're into aliens. The story was easy to follow and get into. I was hooked from where Taylor and Skye went on their date and then the Alienship comes! I mean that was it for me. I knew I was going to like it. I was totally right. The way it ended though with Ethan going after his father... I need more to read right now please and thank you!! can't wait for book 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2019
My Review: The only thing I wished we would have gotten out of this one is a little more time to learn who Skye was before the aliens came. That being said this book was still totally worth the read. I loved every second of it and really hope we get a book two because this one does end on a cliffhanger. I really loved how the blend of contemporary and science fiction played out in this one. It made it a great blend and I could see this one hitting the TV because it would be great to see this one play out that way. With shows like Star Crossed and Roswell, this one would be right at home!
One of the best parts of this book was that Skye's parents were actually there. In young adult books so many times the parents aren't in the story. And this one was not like that. Which was a great change from most ya stories. I also loved the aliens that Zaken has created and would love to know her input on how she created them.
All in all, this was a great simple-ish story that would be great if you are looking for a love story but also ya know ALIENS!! This one doesn't disappoint and I loved it!
One of the best parts of this book was that Skye's parents were actually there. In young adult books so many times the parents aren't in the story. And this one was not like that. Which was a great change from most ya stories. I also loved the aliens that Zaken has created and would love to know her input on how she created them.
All in all, this was a great simple-ish story that would be great if you are looking for a love story but also ya know ALIENS!! This one doesn't disappoint and I loved it!
February 20, 2018
Before I go further on what I think of this book, let me tell you what this book is about based on my reading. This book is about a girl who loved astronomy named Skye. She fell in love with a physically-look-alike-a-human-being alien named Ethan. Ethan with his other alien comrades came with the intention to help the Earthlings to become better in a lot of matters. Being an alien, of course, Ethan had something that was more superior than the Earthling. If he had any physical contact with any of the Earthling, it would bring accidents to the Earthling, which brings the reason why the love between Skye and Ethan was forbidden.
This a scifi meets romance book. Unfortunately, I am a person who is more into the scifi than the romance. I am okay with a pinch of romance here and there but I think it needs more non-romance conflicts. Through the plot, the two main characters cannot stop talking about protecting each other. The plot gets a little bit more interesting when it comes almost to the end of the book. The ending of the book was quite predictable too.
Kudos to the author for making Ethan so boyfriend material that I wish I could have an alien boyfriend too! I’m looking forward for what will happen to them next. I would recommend this book to those who love books with intergalactic relationship.
This a scifi meets romance book. Unfortunately, I am a person who is more into the scifi than the romance. I am okay with a pinch of romance here and there but I think it needs more non-romance conflicts. Through the plot, the two main characters cannot stop talking about protecting each other. The plot gets a little bit more interesting when it comes almost to the end of the book. The ending of the book was quite predictable too.
Kudos to the author for making Ethan so boyfriend material that I wish I could have an alien boyfriend too! I’m looking forward for what will happen to them next. I would recommend this book to those who love books with intergalactic relationship.
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