*ARC* Shadow Fall - Review

Shadow Fall #1

By: Audrey Grey

Published: November 22, 2016 by Blaze Publishing

302 pages

Source: Netgalley ARC from publisher

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:

The asteroid hurtling toward the earth will kill billions. 

The Emperor and his Gold Court will be safe in their space station, watching from the stars. The Silvers will be protected underground. But the Bronzes must fight it out at the Shadow Trials for the few remaining spots left on the space station. 

When an enigmatic benefactor hands Maia Graystone a spot in the Trials, she won’t just get a chance at salvation for her and her baby brother, Max: She gets to confront the mother who abandoned her in prison, the mad Emperor who murdered her father, and the Gold prince who once loved her. But it’s the dark bastard prince she’s partnered with that will make her question everything, including her own heart. With the asteroid racing closer every day, Maia must trust someone to survive. 

The question is who?

MY REVIEW:
I read this book in sort of two halves. I read the first 55% and then needed a contemporary read break, but knew I wanted to come back to finish it. I don't feel like I lost interest necessarily during my break, but I would say this teetered on the edge of losing me. It's very detailed in the beginning of the story as there is much to explain so the reader isn't completely lost. Usually upon finishing a book I feel like I can type up a short summary of what I think would be helpful for potential readers. With this book though, I'm not so sure what I say is going to flow smoothly.

The world as it stands now has been left battered and desolated by war. There's really only two sides of people now. Those who were on the losing side of the war and those on the winning. The losers are ruled by an Emperor who separated the empire into colors: Gold, Bronze, Silver: classes of people who determine the social status: royalty, the workers, the slaves, etc... Then there are the Chosen, specific children of Gold families. What's left of Earth will soon be destroyed, at least uninhabitable for generations to come by an asteroid that is heading straight for the planet. Scientists planned for and created Hyperion - a space station to house Golds so that humanity can continue on.

Maia, was the daughter of a gold family. Her father is seen as a traitor and was murdered, and her mother abandoned them. She has been in hiding for 7 years at the start of the story in what is called "the pit". The picture painted in my head is one scary situation - dark, damp, cannibalism, murder, basically in the pit it's every man or woman for themselves...and you better not show weakness because like a predator to its prey, you will not survive! She's given a unique and rare opportunity to participate in the Shadow Trials and win a spot on Hyperion for her and one other with her.

A few frustrations. A glossary of words would have been helpful at the beginning to explain the different houses and their colors, and various terms. Secondly, I found similarities in the Shadow Trials to that of the games in The Hunger Games. I couldn't decide whether this irritated me or intrigued me.

There is a romantic interest in the story...perhaps more than one to which I will leave for the reader to discover. I don't mind sci/fi (which this definitely falls in) as long as there is also a love story.

Overall, where the story leaves off in a cliffhanger of sorts, I was invested enough in the story and it's characters to want to know what's going to happen next.

Favorite Quotes:
"I'm a lot of things, Digger Girl, but a hero isn't one of them."

Riser scares me the most. Because he possesses the one thing the Archduchess does not. The ability to make me vulnerable.

"But I mean it when I said I would never hut you. You're the only thing that makes me want to be better."

Language Rating: 0 (none)
Mature Content Rating: 0 (none)
Final Rating: 3.5 stars