Rating: Umm, less that one Star? This book was awful, and I only read 7 chapters.
I got the sample of this book on my Nook, thinking that it would be cool, but wanting to test it first. I liked Shannon Hale's other books, and the idea of a sci-fi space story by the same author sounded really interesting.
I was definitely wrong. This book-the first 48 pages-was absolutely terrible. I did expect a romance sub-plot. But...that's not what I got. It seems that this is a teen romance book with some occasional science fiction things. If you are lucky.
Maisie loves science, and has always dreamed of being an astronaut and going to space. When she entres a contest to go to space camp and then wins, she is very excited. So she leaves her home and her best friend behind.
Problems I had with this book:
-Possible romance with her best friend, Luther. (And at that moment, I was hoping that would be the extent of the romance. I also kind of liked Luther's character...)
-Even though Maisie and Luther obviously grew up together, and, from what it seems, they only have each other as friends, they are incredibly awkward...Luther was surprised he was her best friend and felt strange giving her a hug when she left.
-Space Camp was in Texas. Look. This is a sci-fi novel. Can't space camp be...oh idk...in SPACE?
-What kind of space stuff do they do? Well...treasure hunting? (Right after the camp instructors insisted that this was serious stuff for older kids, not babies)
-Maisie's attraction to Wilder. Look, you just met him a day or two ago. AND you seemed to like your friend back at home. But now you are in love with this guy?!
"Had he noticed that I watched him in the cafeteria? Had he guessed that I re-read his file? That some nights when I closed my eyes, I saw his?" (umm...what??)
-Maisie is definitely an idiot when it comes to responding to creepy guys...
-On their first "date," Maisie and Wilder kiss about 8 times...and its not just innocent kissing, either.
-And then Maisie memorizes how long each one was, exactly, and replays it every time she sleeps...
-Wilder is overly possessive of Maisie after this (even though later on, it is made clear he really doesn't care about her)
-In case I haven't said it before, Wilder is a creep.
"Wilder traced my lower lip with his finger. "I like your mouth."
"I'm not that girl," I reminded him, but I wondered if maybe I was."
""Let's skip the next session," he whispered, his hand finding my lower back. "We could find an empty room and talk about microscopes.""
"Wilder kept holding my hand, rubbing my fingernails over his lip."
-And in spite of all this garbage that seems to border on sexual content, in the first 7 chapters, it seems to be made clear that the author has no intention of using any swear words. I might be able to honestly say that I would rather read a book filled with swear words than read a book with this stuff in it. It's not even outright, explicit sexual content, but seriously...
If I was in a situation like that, the guy would be dead.
I definitely did not expect this type of story...from the sci-fi genre description, or from the author. I probably won't be reading any other new books by Shannon Hale.