- Review: Colonization
- Series: Paradise Reclaimed #1
- Author: Aubrie Dionne
- No of Pages: 228
- Release Date: Published November 7th 2012 by Inkspell Publishing
- Received From: CBLS Promotions
- Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis:
Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned life mate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.
But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.
Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.
Can she save the colony and discover her true love?
Excerpt:
We were the only people in the corridor, and the air thickened with static friction. He dropped his head next to mine, our foreheads almost touching. “What a great adventure, Annie.”
He glanced down at my quivering lips. Was he going to kiss me?
We hung suspended for a small eternity. So many emotions swirled through me at once, I couldn’t process all of them: excitement, elation, fear. My conscience murmured one word. Forbidden.
I pulled my head back before it was too late, feeling my heart tear. “You could have gotten us into trouble.”
He took a deep breath, as if he tried to repress his own feelings as well. “Just wait until we reach Paradise 21.”
Our destiny slapped me in the face. The truth was a wall between us. Our assignments loomed in our future and soon there’d be no more adventures. Not for the two of us, anyway. A hundred teens made up our graduating class and the possibility we’d be matched together was slim, especially after they computed my miserable test results.
My thoughts:
This was REALLY interesting! Very dystopian so completely up my alley, of course! The plot was really interesting. These people are in space, have been in space for hundreds of years and have gotten used to the new rules of life. Well mostly! 😉
The life mate thing I thought was really weird but that goes perfectly with this dystopian world. In a lot of dystopians people are so run down, so distressed that they have no hope. In this the characters do have hope and that is part of Andromeda’s issue. She’s fallen in love with her best friend and is paired with someone else. It’s that love that runs this plot but it’s not the only thing that is going on. There’s so much in this.
And I have to say, I was truly conflicted with her choice! Sirius is a great guy and all but after she meets Corvus, I don’t know, I just instantly liked that guy!! He also reminds me of my hubby when we met, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but you’ll have to read this to see what happens. It’s a really good coming of age, learning your true dreams type of book. And I loved that about it. I also love the characters. They are real, they have real issues, real loves, real dreams. But Annie really goes above and beyond everyone else. She doesn’t just accept because she’s told to. I always love that and it endeared me first thing.
Plot is great and it moved at a pace that was perfect. I never felt like anything moved too fast nor too slow. I can’t wait for book two and I plan to get the others in the Paradise Series.
It’s a bit environmental but not so much that it’ll throw you off if you don’t like that kind of thing.
About the author:
Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation–favorite character was Data by far–and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.
Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “a concert flutist” when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.
She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.
Connect with Aubrie Dionne
Website: http://www.authoraubrie.com
Blog: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com
Twitter: @authoraubrie
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964057.Aubrie_Dionne
Available at…
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Colonization-Book-Paradise-Reclaimed-Volume/dp/0985148373/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-colonizationbookoneofparadisereclaimed-968878-143.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/colonization-aubrie-dionne/1113751561
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My Seryniti 
Thank you so much for hosting me! I’m glad you liked it!
LOVED Aubrie! I need more 😉 I really didn’t want this one to end.
Okay, this sounds really good. It sounds like something I’d like a lot. Great excerpt and review!
It’s brilliant! Honestly, I’m super sad that it ended. Thank you!!
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