Book Review | Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Title: Shades of Earth

Author: Beth Revis

Series: Across the Universe #3

Age: Young Adult

Genres: Sci-Fi, Dystopian

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: eBook

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Play Store | iBooks 

Synopsis: 
The final book in the "New York Times" bestselling trilogy, perfect for fans of Battlestar Gallactica and "Prometheus"!

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

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

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

FUELED BY LIES. RULED BY CHAOS. ALMOST HOME.

My Rating: 

My Thoughts:
Wow, it took me a while, but I finally finished this trilogy and boy am I left with so many feels. I absolutely loved this trilogy from start to finish. I love the buildup, the romance, the drama and the unexpected twists. Shades of Earth was a perfect conclusion to this wonderful sci-fi trilogy.

Amy was absolutely amazing in this book. Once again she is thrown into a world with different people and made to be like the outsider. I loved how determine she was to make things right for the shipborns and how much she grew into being a leader when things got rough at the end. I hated seeing her cry over her mother and how things went for her dad, but Amy's strength showed her true "power" and I loved it.

Elder definitely grew a lot for me in this book as well. He was still the young leader, but with things on Centauri-Earth going haywire he stood up and truly protected not only his people but Amy as well. Elder is very strong, smart and his power lies in his knowledge. I loved how he didn't take anyones word as the final say, but went and did his own "research" on things. When he went back to Godspeed for his people I was amazed and that ending -- I was crushed, relieved and overjoyed. Elder is every bit of a leader and I loved him.

The romance between Amy and Elder has always been my favorite part because they never let their difference -- being shipborn or earthborn -- deter them from one another. This conclusion I felt like they were slowly drifting apart, especially when Amy woke up the earthborns, but their relationship had some true strength and love. The two of them together are unstoppable and I was so happy for their ending!

Amy's dad was a mess from the moment she woke him up. I didn't like how he thought of the shipborns as different from the earth borns. They were all human in my eyes. I couldn't stand the way he spoke to Elder and tried to manipulate everyone. I hated the secrets he hid from his wife and the others. I didn't really care much for him at all as a character, but he was beneficial to Amy's growth as a leader.

Chris seemed a bit fishy to me from the start, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I always thought he was creepy from the way he kept trying to flirt with Amy and get her attention. I was shocked about his true identity though.

The hybrids seemed crazy at first, but I could definitely understand their hostility. I would be the same way towards others. They did go a bit overboard on the killing, but I can't really fault. I will say they made an amazing life for themselves on Centauri-Earth.

FRX is freaking insane! I can't believe everything they did to the hybrids and the shipborns. I just don't understand how people can be that cruel and unkind to humankind. I really hope they do try to attack so that Amy, the hybrids and shipborns can kill them all. I loved that sass that Amy gave Sol-Earth -- I literally laughed for a good 5 mins going over her conversation with them. Priceless.

Beautiful trilogy, simply marvelous!

Have you read this book?