Friday, March 13, 2015

Review: Stone in the Sky

Info: 
Title: Stone in the Sky
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Series: Tin Star #2
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
Source: I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
In this thrilling follow-up to Tin Star, Tula will need to rely on more than just her wits to save her only home in the sky.

After escaping death a second time, Tula Bane is now even thirstier for revenge. She spends much of her time in the Tin Star Café on the Yertina Feray—the space station she calls home. But when it's discovered that the desolate and abandoned planet near the station has high quantities of a precious resource, the once sleepy space station becomes a major player in intergalactic politics. In the spirit of the Gold Rush, aliens from all over the galaxy race to cash in—including Tula's worst enemy.

Review:
I remember having mixed feelings after finishing the first book, Tin Star. I had really enjoyed the first 75% of the book, but then felt like the author decided to cram in an insanely rushed romance at the end. I have mixed feelings after finishing this one as well, although for different reasons.

The rushed romance at the end of book one is remedied here, replaced with something more slow and rather awkward. My issue with is that at times it focused too much of feelings and not enough on action. This might be an entirely personal gripe, since I definitely prefer action-packed stories over ones that involve a lot of personal reflection/romance/thoughts/feelings. Don't get be wrong, some exciting stuff happens, but there were a few sections where I got a bit tired of Tula worrying about how inhuman she feels or how lost and alone or how doomed her plans feel. 

A few characters from book one that were not in Tula's life at the end reappear. There is one particularly sad bit, but I wasn't emotionally invested enough for any tears.

I do want to come back to the romance in this one. I hated the romance in book one, but it does improve in this one. I'll be honest, it does get rather love-triangle-y, but it kind of worked and one side of the triangle was so awkward and weird and I loved it.

Overall, I have enjoyed this series, but it would have been even better with a bit more action or world-building or something.





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2 comments:

  1. I think the slow and awkward, especially after the rushed, would kill me! Sorry this wasn't a better read for you.

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  2. I have never heard of this series but I don't think it's for me. I don't like slow reads and when you say that the romance was awkward in the first one I won't bother. But glad you enjoyed it overall. Great review:)

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