Review: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

(Across the Universe #3)

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.

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My Thoughts

When I read Across the Universe, I wasn’t over the moon about that book. I knew I wanted to read the rest of the series, but I took my sweet time about it. In fact, I waited so long, that by the time I got around to reading A Million Suns, the final book had already come out! But you know what? I’m glad I waited, and I’m glad I decided to continue with this series. A Million Suns made me really like the series. Shades of Earth turned me into a die hard Beth Revis fan.

We are thrust right into the action from the first page of Shades of Earth, and thank goodness, because I was dying to know what was going to happen! Even if you haven’t read the first two books, it must be obvious that in this book, they’re finally landing on a planet. And things get interesting real quick. I was riveted from the first page, and the action didn’t let me go until I’d read the final word. I absolutely devoured Shades of Earth.

I loved that there were constant threats, constant mysteries to be solved, and almost constant tension throughout this book. It really drove me to keep reading because I wanted to know the answers. Beth Revis took the mysteries from A Million Suns and pulled them through with amazing skill — all the way to the end. With the introduction (awakening) of “the frozens” in this final book, there’s a whole new level of tension going on, not only for Amy and Elder, but for ALL of the people from Godspeed. And once I learned what Amy’s dad, leader of “the earthborns,” was struggling to handle, it made the whole situation that much more surreal.

I can’t tell you how many OMFG moments I had while reading this book. I was surprised left and right (although I did suspect a few things that ended up coming about), and it was so much fun! I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’m trying to be vague, but WOW. This is one of the BEST conclusions to a series that I’ve read. Thoroughly immersive, intense, and satisfying. While, of course, I would always love to have more, when I closed this book I was very satisfied with the series.

I had the pleasure of meeting Beth Revis at a local signing recently, and I told her, as I’m telling you now: she is a freakin’ genius. This book — and series — is recommended to anyone who likes a good sci-fi thriller.

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My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
More of Shades of Earth: goodreads | amazon | official website