NAVIGATING THE STARS by Maria V. Snyder

 

Book One in Sentinels of the Galaxy

Publisher: Maria V. Snyder

December 1, 2018

978-1-946381-01-9

Science Fiction, Futuristic, Time Travel

Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Self-purchase

5 Hearts

For seventeen-year-old Lyra Daniels, traveling across the Milky Way can suck big time, especially after leaving all her friends behind. With the discovery of Terracotta warriors on other planets, Lyra’s parents are the premier experts on the Warriors. When the warriors were discovered on over twenty exoplanets, Lyra’s parents are thrilled to discover another planet to explore and discover new information on how the Warriors got there. But even if Lyra likes traveling to other planets, the time dilation sucks because it can put her years in the future. But as Lyra and her parents travel to the newly discovered planet, she finds solace in annoying an impossible security officer who threatens to throw her in the brig and illegally worming into the Q-net. But after the planet they just left, Xinji, abruptly goes silent, security has a new threat to deal with than Lyra doing illegal worming. For crucial data files on the Warriors are going missing and looters are spotted on the new planet they are at. Time is of the essence and for Lyra, it’s either try to help or die.

NAVIGATING THE STARS is Ms. Snyder’s foray into the science fiction/futuristic genre and I got to admit she delivers a marvelous, intriguing start to her new Sentinels of the Galaxy series. The story is full of adventure, amazing characters and a story that basically kept me glued to the pages till the very end. This is an author who I fell in love with in her Study fantasy series and her new book, NAVAGATING THE STARS, is just as good if not great. The story flows smoothly and quickly with a few twists I sure did not see coming. Add in the mystique of Terracotta warriors and other planets, well you got the earmarks of a story that will either ride off on a rocket or go down in a heap. I am happy to say this one blew me away and then some.

Meet Lyra Daniels. Her parents are the experts on Terracotta warriors and when a new planet is discovered housing them, they are thrilled to go and see what the warriors have to say to them. But Lyra doesn’t want to leave her friends and life on Xinji. Alas, she leaves with her family and finds comfort annoying this cute security officer who is around her age and illegally worming on the Q-net. I really enjoyed Lyra. She surprised me at times with her maturity and yes, she does have moments of being a brat, but it fit the way the storyline was going at those times. I enjoyed reading about her thought processes and how she see’s puzzles in things, especially in the Q-net. She is intriguing and a perfect MC (main character) to root for. I got to admit all the characters are entertaining, in my opinion. You got Lyra’s parents who are typical scientists, full of excitement over new discoveries, then you got the annoying gruff security officer, some secondary characters that just made me giggle at times and more. All are entertaining on their own, but all together kept the story flowing at a quick pace.

NAVIGATING THE STARS is a pure gem of a book that literally has me anxiously awaiting the second book, Chasing the Shadows, just to see where the group of characters goes next in the series. The ending left me gasping in shock as the bad guy was one, I sure didn’t expect and one that left me wanting to know more of. Ms. Snyder delivers a perfect book to while a snowy night away with a mix of action/adventure, a little romance and a mystery that will keep you engaged right up till the end of the book. I look forward to seeing where the author goes next in the series and hope it won’t be too long of a wait for it.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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TOUCH OF POWER by Maria V. Snyder

The Healers, Book one

Harlequin/Mira

978-0-77831-307-6

December 20^th, 2011

Fantasy, Thriller, Romance

E-book Arc from Netgally

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher

 

Avry of Kazan has a unique gift of being able to save the sick and dying by laying her hands on them and taking their pain, injuries and diseases into herself. But instead of being revered for this gift, she is instead hunted, as healers like her are hunted and blamed for spreading the plague that has broken out in the Fifteen Realms, leaving many survivors in a chaos. Tired of running, Avry is shocked to find herself kidnapped by a rogue band of people who want her to heal their Prince and leader of the rogues but Avry is trying to see who to save and who to leave alone because the price of such healing is more than someone’s life…it could very be her own life as forfeit.

I absolutely adore Maria V. Snyder’s books and in her new series, we are treated to a world where plague has run rampant, destroying lands, people and more. Healers are reviled even as they try to save the sick and dying. This is one story that is a slow build up and I was tempted a few times to put it down and go read something else. But I kept at it and found myself falling in love with Avry as well as this band of rebels that she meets. This is an author who is a master at world building, of creating charismatic yet intriguing characters to fall in love with and a mix of genres that leaves you intrigued with each page turned. Ms. Snyder delivers a wonderful follow up series top her enjoyable Magic series with a series about Healers who can take the injuries and more of the sick and dying. Instead of being honored for their skills, they are hunted down, reviled and blamed for a plague that is decimating the Fifteen Kingdoms.

I got to admit I fell in love with Avry the moment she came upon the pages of TOUCH OF POWER. She is determined to help save as many people as she can, hunted for her gift and is one of many who just want to do good in her world. The characters are very well written, multi-dimensional and the reader is treated to quite a diverse cast of characters. The world is interesting, the magical world is intriguing and I was up late into the night racing to see what happens next for Avry and the rest of the characters in TOUCH OF POWER.

If you enjoy a unique blend of genres into a story that leaves you eager for more, then run to grab TOUCH OF POWER. I can’t wait to tackle book two next. This is by far one of my favorite fantasy series to read and can’t recommend it enough to other readers.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

OUTSIDE IN by Maria V. Snyder

Inside Series Book 2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date published: February 15th, 2011
ISBN: 978-0373210114
Young Adult Dystopian
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley


Trella thought her job was done after leading the Force of Sheep Rebellion against the hated uppers. Unfortunately that isn’t the case as she is pulled every which way in order to get peace between the privileged “Uppers” and the menial labor “Lowers”. Now things are going wrong, the fragile peace that was in force after the rebellion is fast unraveling and a host of new issues arise to challenge Trella. Can one girl find a way to unite them all or will everything Trella fought for be destroyed in a puff of smoke?

OUTSIDE IN is a fabulous sequel to INSIDE OUT. It literally picks up right after book one ended and we see what happens when you overthrow the hated government to find a host of new problems coming out into the open. Ms. Snyder has a great way of creating complex and believable characters that take your breath away. She is a masterful storyteller who delivers a story that will completely captivate you till the very end. I love this author’s books since I picked up her wonderful Magic series and her first foray into the young adult genre is a hit out of the ball park. The writing is tight, the storyline fast paced and it has enough twists to keep you guessing on what happens next.

Meet Trella. She is reluctant rebellion leader who finds that life isn’t any easier now that the uppers who were running the show are imprisoned. Now a new host of problems crop up and Trella is ready to chuck it all away. I loved Trella. She was resourceful, independent and quite unique. I loved how she adapted to all the changing circumstances in her life. Plus she has personal issues to deal with that the reader found out in book one that makes her very life like. Add in a hint of romance with Riley, an upper from book one that helped Trella in the rebellion and you got the makings of a great story. There were some secondary characters that intrigued me more and they moved the storyline along nicely.

OUTSIDE IN is a wonderful tale of what happens after a rebellion is over with. It isn’t all hearts and roses either. If you haven’t read book one, INSIDE OUT, you won’t be really lost as the second book does a quick over view to bring readers up to speed. I do suggest you read book one in order to get the full experience of this exceptional series. Ms. Snyder creates a wonderful and complex world that leaves the reader breathless as they finish OUTSIDE IN. I couldn’t get enough of OUTSIDE IN and can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for Trella and the rest of the people in the series. If you are looking for a different type of young adult book to enjoy, I highly recommend Ms. Snyder’s Inside series books. They literally grab a hold of you and refuse to let you go until the last page is read. I look forward to reading this again soon.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

INSIDE OUT by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Inside Book 1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date published April 1st, 2010
ISBN: 978-0373210060
Young Adult/Science Fiction Dystopian
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by self-purchase


Keep your head down, don’t get noticed by the Pop Cops and do your job, that is all Trella has to do as a scrub cleaning the air ducts. Except she finds herself drawn into a plot to help the prophet called Broken Man. Now Trella is searching for the mysterious Getaway, trying to stay alive and making sure she doesn’t get caught by the Pop Cops because if she fails, it will mean more than her death; it will mean the life of being a scrub will just get worse under the Pop Cops and Uppers.

I fell in love with this author’s work with her Magic series and was thrilled to see her branch into a new genre. INSIDE OUT is a fast paced, edge of your seat ride from start to finish. I loved the many characters, the many twists that had me gasping in shock and yes, there are some parts which may not appeal to younger readers (i.e. talk of torture, etc). Ms. Snyder definitely delivers a spine tingling story to get you glued till the very end. The writing was tight and the plot moved at an even pace though I did find some parts were a little slower than some other parts but felt that was on purpose to give the reader a little breathing room from the roller coaster ride Ms. Snyder delivers in INSIDE OUT.

Meet Trella. She is a scrub and lives below, working as a cleaner and nicknamed “Queen of the Ducts”. She is a loner, has one friend she knows she can count on, does her job and keeps her head down. Getting involved with the prophet Broken Man was not on her agenda but resisting is hard when her friend, Cogan asks her to get involved in finding the mysterious Outside. Soon she is trying to keep one step ahead of the Pop Cops, finding out things about her past that has her shaken to the core and in the end, change will come but what will the price be? The entire cast of characters in this book was fabulous. They were very multi-dimensional and felt like they could step off the pages into your living room. The main character Trella is someone I could see befriending and helping in real life. Ms. Snyder does a real good job in creating her characters that will either have you rooting for them or wanting to beat them to death.

INSIDE OUT delivers a story so unique; it will captivate you from the very beginning. I cannot wait to read the follow up, OUTSIDE IN, very soon. I am looking to see what happens next for Trella and all her allies as they find the world they grew up in has many secrets being held from them. If you are looking for a different take on dystopian genre, then please try the latest from Ms. Snyder. I look forward to seeing what else this author has coming in the future.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.