This is going to be a bit of a hard book to review, because it was, in essence, very middling for me. I liked it well enough, I don't have much in the way of negatives, even. It just didn't blow me away, and sometimes that happens. It was entertaining enough, though maybe I won't necessarily find it to be memorable down the road. So I will try to break it down as best I can, yes?
The Stuff I Liked:
- •It's really quite fun. The humor is definitely a plus. It wasn't "rolling on the floor in hysterics" funny, but it was charming and amusing. The characters got into some real antics, and some of them certainly gave me a few chuckles.
- •The main character group is really well done. They're all pretty well developed, with different quirks and traits. And I liked them! Even when I didn't necessarily like their choices, they made sense for the character at the time/situation. And I felt sympathetic toward them all too. In addition, it's a very diverse group, in so many ways!
- •There are a lot of space shenanigans! I love space shenanigans! And we definitely are not lacking for them in this book. The gang has a huge undertaking (think: saving worlds and such) and they definitely are trying their hardest, running all over the universe to do so basically! Obviously I won't say too much here, but if you're looking for adventure, this book has it!
The Stuff I Didn't:
- •The future didn't progress a ton in some aspects. Like the MC is eating Cheetos in one scene, browsing a Sky Mall catalog in another. Sky Mall is barely a thing now for goodness sake! People are texting each other and like... no, I feel like if there are space academies, we've probably moved past texting? Maybe I am being picky, but it kind of took me out of the whole "futuristic" setting.
- •It felt kind of safe, considering. I mean, granted it started out with a deadly bang, but I never really feared for our main group. Things just kept coming way too easily for them, way too coincidental, that I kind of assumed everyone would be just fine by the end. (Was I right? You'll have to read it to find out 😂) But the book to a big hit on intensity for me because of that.
Bottom Line: Good characters, amusing moments, and space shenanigans are definite reasons to grab this one! If you don't mind a little suspension of disbelief and ease of accomplishment, it's certainly worth the read!