REVIEW: Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3)

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe #3), by Beth Revis
Published January 15, 2013
Publisher:  Razorbill
Format: hardback - borrowed from the library
Genre:  YA, sci-fi
To Buy:  Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 Rating:  4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) 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.

I will admit that I had Shades of Earth in my hands for about four weeks - I had to renew it once - before I got up the guts to crack it open and start reading. Why my reticence? Honestly, I just really didn't want it all to end. 

Of course, my procrastination couldn't last forever. I just HAD to find out what happened to Amy and Elder!

The ships lands on Centauri-Earth and the frozens are thawed and immediately start taking charge. Conflict starts from the very beginning as the two leaders clash and Amy is caught in the middle. Adding fuel to the fire, people start dying and no one can figure out who is behind it. Soon it becomes clear that they are not the only sentient beings on the planet. 

Shades of Earth was a deliciously, frexing frustrating book. Frustrating in the best of ways. The source of most of my frustration was Amy. GAH - AMY! My girl needs to learn about c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-i-o-n. Like, communicating to her dad all that she learned during her three months on the ship. And, communicating to Elder that she loves him. And, communicating that she's not just going to forgive someone for something so heinous just because the peace needs to be kept. This was the one thing that bothered me the most. I didn't agree, nor quite get, some of Amy's actions at the end of the book. 

The best part of this entire series are the mysteries within the mystery. I have story ideas - most bibliophiles do. My problem is how to create drama, intrigue and passion with my words. How to create these wicked cool plot twists that readers wouldn't be able to see coming a mile away. Well, Let. Me. Tell. You. Beth Revis not only has generated some serious drama, intrigue and passion in Shades of Earth, but as was the case in Across the Universe and A Million Suns, I did not see that ending coming. At all. Being surprised is cool. Beth Revis - what a crazy, beautiful mind you have.

Shades of Earth was an extremely fulfilling ending to an amazing series. The characters - all of them - have so much life. This new world that they all live in was described in such wonderful detail, I felt like I could smell the rain and feel the air and taste the gross military rations. 

Read this series. Even if you don't think that sci-fi, spaceships and aliens are your bag. READ IT. Then, let me know how much you loved it so I can tell you I told you so. 

Check out my reviews for Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) and A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2).