It's been awhile since I've read picked up a read, which shoots into space and beyond...or, at least, to the moon. So, when I saw this read, I was happy to jump on in. It's the first in a new series and promises to hold tons of excitement. Plus, it takes a turn toward a dystopian in that the Earth is suffering from increased earthquakes, which threaten to destroy life as we know it. Add romance and teen drama...and well, let's see how it goes!
RESONATE
by Erin Wilkerson
The Avalon Series, #1
May 1st 2023
YA Science Fiction
Sixteen year old Tamar Linsky has had enough!
After surviving twenty-two devastating quakes on an increasingly unstable Earth, she leaves the slow destruction of her world behind for an internship as far away from tragedy as she can get—humanity’s first lunar colony.
Lunar Base One is a high-tech research facility brimming with the brightest young minds from all over the world, but through it all, she will beat her peers and make a name for herself as a groundbreaking scientist. Even if a good-looking prankster threatens to distract her—knowing relationships are forbidden—bringing more secrets and drama than Tamar can bear.
Just when she thought she was getting a grip on the pressure, a geological catastrophe wipes out civilization back home.
Now cut off from the Earth she was desperate to escape, Tamar and her crew must find a way to survive on their own.
Goodreads / Amazon
MY TIDBITS
The games of trust, lies, heart, romance, and survival swirl around a moon station and a dying Earth to create an exciting read.
As a very talented biologist, Tamar's been chosen to work on the moon station thanks to the ongoing research supported by the universities. With the increasing numbers of earthquakes, part of her is hesitant to leave her family but this is a chance she'd be a fool to ignore. Once on the station, she settles in with the vibrant group of individuals and soon takes on the new rhythm of the life with its drama, dangers, and special situations. Even on the boyfriend end, things start to happen...and that, although relationships aren't allowed. But even on a base, there are secrets. When one of the geological excursions beyond the base reveal a steel structure, which seems to be of human origins but is hundreds of thousands of years old, more than a few questions arise...especially with the earthquakes back on Earth gaining severity every day. Soon, Tamar isn't only battling for her heart but also for her life.
I picked this one up, got lost in the world, and didn't want to put it down until the last page. It packs quite a bit more drama than I expected, and while the blurb hints at survival...which is included...much of this read concentrates on Tamar's time on the moon station and dealing with the individuals and situations around her. So, it leans more toward a space-drama with tension and action, rather than a battle-for-survival with tension and action. And that's fine, too, because it does a great job with the tale.
We meet Tamar just as she's about to board the shuttle up to space. Her apprehensions and fears mixed with excitement are palpable and make her easy to sympathize with. Once on the moon, the station holds an array of various characters, each with their own, distinct personalities, goals and ambitions. Some are left at an arm's length away but most add quite a bit of depth to the story and round it off with the tension, humor, quirks, and sharp-edges to keep the tale grabbing on every page. While most of it is told from Tamar's point of view, others take the lead, here and there, to keep everything well-rounded. I was a little disappointed that Tamar, although a biologist whose talents qualify her for the trip, spends very little time in that direction. I missed that strength of passion in her personality, although I still rooted for her.
This is an easy read, which makes it great as a side entertainment with a nice helping of action and danger. There's a little food for thought to keep it interesting as characters face several difficult situations and need to question morals and humanity. The world-building is well done and makes the station easy to picture and sink into, and there's always something going on, keeping boredom far away. There are more than a few strings thrown in, which seem to hint at the next books in the series. However, this first book wraps up, on some ends, pretty tight. So, I'm curious to see where the author will go from here and believe it will be exciting.
Then, there's the romance. Quite a bit of it. There's nothing spicy, and it remains on the sweet end. This also held some rough bumps along the way, but grabbed in all the right times and places. I did smile at the end and stood behind the couple completely.
So, I do recommend this one to anyone, who's up for an original, space twist on Armageddon and life as we know it with action, tension, friendship, and romance, too.
SNEAK PEEK
River fell, grabbing a firm hold of the rovers bumper while hanging off the side of a hole in the moons surface. A deafening scream followed from the girl.
He caught her outstretched hand. The remote rover and core sample smashed into pieces below. She dangled in a frenzied panic. The rover shifted from their weight. “Don’t let go of me!” she screamed.
“I’ve got you!” he shouted back.
That calmed her a little, but she still whimpered. The rover stopped, hung halfway off the side of the cliff.
He studied it. It wasn’t going to hold much longer.
“Tamar! River? What happened?” Ringo cried out through the commlink.
“Stay back! It’s a cave-in!” River scoured the cliff for a spot he could jump for. If he just didn’t have the princess clinging to his arm, he could get out of here easy.
Big John, Ringo, and Ginger showed up at the edge of the rocky cliff. The three stood motionless.
“Hold onto her River!” Ringo’s frantic voice howled, with his hands on his helmet. Ginger began to radio the control room, explaining what happened.
“I’m trying.” River gripped Tamar’s hand tighter. “Are you going to do something?”
“Let me think!” Ringo screeched back, his hands tense at the sides of his helmet.
River’s eyes narrowed. “This thing’s not going to hold much longer.”
“Ringo, the trekkers!” Big John’s voice boomed. The two disappeared from the edge.
“It’s going to take them both to hold that beast.” Ringo explained through their steady huffs. River didn’t remember the trekkers being close, but at least they were doing something other than standing there.
He examined the pit below, studying the surface. Then, he spotted it.
“Okay listen to me,” he said to the girl, gazing down at her petrified face. “There’s a small patch of soft moon dust off to the right over there. I’m going to toss you onto it.”
“Over there? You can’t throw me that far,” she screamed.
“No, River. Don’t let go of her. We’re almost there,” Ringo shouted.
“Shut it, Ringo!” He softened his eyes, hoping she would understand. “Don’t listen to him, you’ll be fine.”
“River, stop! It’s too deep! We’ve got the trekkers,” Ringo shouted through Tamar’s constant screams and pleas. She murmured a weak, terrified wail, begging him not to do this to her.
Why was she acting like this? Did she think he was a monster? “You want to live, don’t you?” River yelled.
She nodded, gripping his hand so tight it went numb through his glove.
“Then listen to me!” The rover inched forward, its weight crumbling the rock side, and he no longer cared for her permission.
He swung his arm back, focusing on the point of impact, then tossed her toward the dust pile. She flew, screaming the whole way.
Her bottom landed safely, just as he said she would. But time had run out for him. The rover dove off the cliff, leaving him no other choice but to ride down with it.
And here she is...
Erin Wilkerson "is a writer of YA fantasy and science fiction stories, which often feature fierce, comedic, and sassy female characters ready to take on the world and kick butt. She aspires to hole up somewhere with her manuscripts, writing in isolation for hours, but there is no way that'll ever happen since she is the proud ringleader of this traveling troupe of rambunctious monkeys. Life swallows up her time, but it makes for hilarious stories to share with her readers. She resides in Texas with her circus. Her debut novel, RESONATE, is set to release on May 1st."
-- Written by close friend and fellow author Ari Augustine.
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