Book Review Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Disclaimer: Reading is all about exploring new worlds, but this Book Review does not shy away from spoiling specific scenes as this is more of a look inside the good and bad of a book.

The Analysis:

I’m pretty sure I came across this book in a science fiction romance recommendation blog post that I follow. This pick was a part of my book challenge 2022. #41: That’s a guilty pleasure. I’m going to be doing lots of readathons and TBR prompts to help myself get through my backlog of ebooks on my kindle and google play. So, let’s book review it. But first, follow me on Goodreads.

Here’s The Blurb:

My name is Nayli. Well, it used to be Nayli, back in my exiled human colony on an isolated moon. Now I’m just another inmate aboard this prison spaceship, headed for a hell planet.

It doesn’t matter that I’m innocent; the Galactic Federation has mistaken me for one of its most dangerous criminals, and now my future has been ripped away. I’m surrounded by horrific monsters, and one in particular won’t stop staring at me. His massive horns, rippling muscles, and intense, golden eyes make me feel so small. I don’t know what he wants, but if he’s in here, it can’t be good.

As the guards lose control of the ship and the monsters are released, I realize that this brooding warrior might be the only chance I have at survival. But, he doesn’t just want to help me, he wants to possess me.

Cover Critique:

The model on the cover looks more human than alien. I shouldn’t fault that cause I have covers that way. But it certainly didn’t draw the eye. The blurb did that alone. But I should say the description matches that on the cover.

Now The Story:

Book Info:
Pages: 264
Author: Veronica Dean
Available: Amazon

The setting of this book is not prison. In fact, that’s only 20% of the book. The remainder follows the couple as they journey through a couple of different places meeting a varied amount of people and aliens along the way.

It was a little slow to start, for me. In getting to know the characters, I didn’t take a liking to the heroine right away. She was complaining about a planet for what seemed to be for no other reason than she was on it. The hero grew on me because of his tragic backstory. But overall I was excited about this story.

One thing that is set up quite well is that whatever that comes next she’s going to be open to if only because she’s ready for some excitement in her life. So, going into it I was looking for less angst in that regard, and I got it. After a while, the angst over ‘falling for an alien’ does get old.

Her eventual arrest was frustrating and deeply unfair, but her transfer and the subsequent uprising from the gnomes were exciting. Their viciousness had me wanting more. This story offers up several action scenes that were all very good and had me on the edge of my seat.

The chemistry between our couple is instant, but believable. But I rolled my eyes when she starts crying in a transparent jail cell in front of killers. My tear ducts would be stopped up before I ever shed a tear in front of a monster, killer gnome, and vampire, among other creatures. Or I’d ask for trips to the bathroom just to cry. But to show that kinda weakness, girl why. And she cries twice before they ever make it off the ship. It’s played as a sweet thing, but in a situation like this, I can’t help but see it as a deficit.

Then we move on to the heroine meeting her doubleganger, who angered me on the heroine’s behalf. They just chose someone at random, who didn’t get along with anyone. Like, move over heroine, let me fight her for you. I identified with that one a little too much, ouch. And the rebel/villain felt far too comfortable hiding behind her foot soldiers.

The absurdity enters when she forgives her doppelganger without the alien really having to try. Sure, It offered to take the woman back to Earth, but you would have died on that prison planet had you made it. The Minotaur would have died trying to keep you safe. I’m not even going to bring up the plot holes of her just being sent to Earth, like no one is looking for her. No one seems to truly think about what a life on the run might look like. Its just expected that it will all be okay.

Then we find out the motivations of the resistance. They’re working against the Galactic Federation (no relation to star trek). However, I can’t help but make comparisons, and the story’s not making a whole lot of sense. The argument is: that everyone would be under this large umbrella, leaving no true individuality. But, we’ve all seen Star Trek, and that’s not totally true. We haven’t actually seen what unity looks like for this story. So, I’m not sure I’m convinced about the rebel resisters’ argument. The only intriguing part is the mention that worlds are being swallowed under the weight of providing resources for this growing population and world-building. It was intriguing enough for me to want an anti-star trek version of this story. So the topic could be delved into a little deeper than what we’re getting from this story.

Now, towards the end, we do get a bigger clue into the psyche of a Galactic Administrator. Their grand plan sounds a lot like the Borg. Still, I’m not convinced. I would’ve needed to see more on this front.

Once they were safely back on Earth, we got the ‘true story’ about the human’s mass exodus to another planet. The heroine is all excited because she’s only been learning propaganda. The truth, in my opinion, was no better. Humans were horrible to supernatural creatures and they went into hiding. Federation intervened at some point and thought humans were getting too dangerous for their own good and wiped them out with a virus. Any survivors were killed by the mythical creatures coming out of hiding to take over the planet in their place. It got so bad that we had to take over the planet and exile them to a different one. How is that understandable, sis? How is that better? What’s absent from this story is that he makes it sound like this took years when clearly it was more like centuries. Treating every human, like their the scourge of the Earth over the select few truly responsible for the mess they were in is both unfair, and cruel. And to call humans ‘overlords’ when most humans were clueless about them is crazy. Especially when most if given a chance probably would have supported the creature’s reappearance.

Their return to Earth does not work out the way either of them expected. I was certainly surprised by the twist as well. By the end, they end up back under Federation control. The rebel fighters rescue them again and they live happily ever after on a far-off planet.

Story At A Glance:

Recommendation:  3 out of 5

Read Series Continuation:  No

 Book Review The Ratings:

Book Cover Appeal:

🍓🍓🍓

Story & Narration:

🍓🍓🍓

Romance:

🍓🍓🍓🍓

Character/(s) Personality:

🍓🍓🍓🍓

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