Gravity

By Melissa West

A thrilling debut packed with action and mystery. Aliens never looked so good." –Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 NYT bestselling author

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don't. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she's been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she's falling for him. But Ari isn't just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She's a military legacy who's been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson.

Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

The Taking series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Gravity
Book #2 Hover
Book #3 Collide

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Oct 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781620610923

Book preview

For Dad, my constant voice of reason. Thank you for pushing me to reach for the sky and forever catching me when I fall.

Prologue

Year: 2133

The T-screen in our family room crackles just before President Cartier fills the screen. I wonder briefly if Lawrence is watching him, too, like the rest of America, or if he was given an advance showing. After all, the president is his grandfather. I remember the first time I met President Cartier. He was less gray then, less wrinkled. He was joking that Lawrence was too mature for a six-year-old and asked me to take him under my wing, teach him how to be young.

Now four years later, staring into the T-screen on one of the biggest nights of my life, I wish I had some of Lawrence’s maturity. I wish I weren’t so…afraid.

President Cartier smiles widely into the camera and begins his talk. It’s prerecorded—the same talk given every year to each new group of ten-year-olds. I’m told they used to show the video in class on the first day of school, but so many children left crying that they felt doing it at home was better. I’m not so sure. Right now, it’s eight o’clock in the evening, which means I have only four hours until they come—four hours to prepare.

Ladies and gentlemen of our beloved nation, President Cartier begins. Today marks the first day of your journey to adulthood. It is not to be taken lightly. But rest assured, your parents and older siblings sitting with you have endured this same talk. Time has not changed our process, which, in the very least, should bring you comfort.

He smiles again, this time in that condescending way that adults do. It’s supposed to reassure us. It doesn’t.

Parents, please hand over your child’s Taking patch.

Daddy holds out the tiny silver case to me, the silver catching the light from the composite crystal chandelier above us. I try to steady my hands as I sit it in my lap, my legs jumping ever so slightly.

Now, boys and girls, please listen carefully to these instructions, as they will not be repeated.

The screen dims and an image appears of America just before the fall. A voice-over blasts from the T-screen, explaining all the things I already know. Power led to the most destructive war in our history—World War IV. The screen cuts to the full scope of the nuclear war, showing city after city, at first beautiful and strong, and then the bomb hits and there is nothing left but rubble and smoke and sadness. Our world, decimated and no longer able to thrive.

I lower my eyes from the screen, hoping Daddy doesn’t notice. The commander doesn’t appreciate weakness, even in his daughter, but it saddens me to think how far we fell. I lift my head again and focus back on the screen, anxiously awaiting the important part—the part where the Ancients attacked.

I watch as the screen changes to the alien crafts arriving in our skies, watch as more and more appear until they look like large flocks of birds. There are too many to count. Too many to defend against. We now know that they are older than us as a species, much older. Thousands of years older than the first known existence of man, though I’ve often wondered how they know. Did one of them tell us? Is it a guess? Regardless, that is how we now know them as the Ancients. What they were called before, I’m not sure. Though I can imagine the people of the time thought of something more appropriately frightening than alien.

Please pay attention, Ari, Mom says, motioning to the screen.

I clear my throat and nod. I didn’t realize I was staring at my patch case, hard in my hand. It’s small. Maybe eight inches long and four wide. And inside…inside rests the single most frightening thing any of us has ever held. Our patch.

The screen cuts again to the signing of the Treaty of 2090. The five leaders of Earth with the Ancient leader, though there was no Ancient present that day, or at least not visible to us. I know little to nothing about what they actually are or what they looked like prior to our agreement. I know only what the current Ancient leader looks like and he looks human, though most say they aren’t really like us. It’s an illusion. Some say they’re made of water. Some say plant. Others say they are no form at all, existing yet not—at least not in the way we do. I’m not sure. Still, there is an empty chair present at the table, as though the Ancient leader sits there, bored, waiting for the meeting to adjourn.

The screen zooms in on the treaty, to the six signatures that agree to our new role. From that moment on, we were no longer just human beings—we were hosts. We provide them with antibodies through the Taking so they can survive life on Earth, which is the only reason we’re alive. Had their bodies responded to Earth as they had hoped, we would all be gone. Genocide of the human species. Instead, they needed us—and we needed them. Our planet was destroyed, and they alone possessed the ability to terraform Earth back to health. Could we have done it on our own? Yes, but not before millions died of dehydration or starvation. We needed an answer quickly. They needed a new planet. And so the treaty was signed and we agreed to follow their rules.

President Cartier returns, another fake smile on his face. You now understand our history and the importance of what you are about to embark upon. Please remove your patches from their cases and let us go through the proper Taking protocol for this evening.

I slip my hand over my patch case and pop the lid open, exposing the tiny silver patch inside. It’s as light as composite silk, as smooth as water. Two large oval pieces connected by a thin one-inch piece of cloth that goes over the bridge of your nose. I lift the patch into my hand and hear a nearly silent buzzing from it, as though it’s alive—though I know that must be whatever Chemist technology is within it that allows the patch to immobilize us.

I run my thumb easily over the fabric. It doesn’t look or feel so scary. Then President Cartier instructs us to put on our patches and I feel my body turn to stone. My eyes widen as they lift to the T-screen.

Go on, dear, Mom says from beside me. She pats my knee easily and smiles brightly. It’s okay.

I thought we did it at night? I say, my voice small.

We do. This is just a test. It allows you to feel the sensation with us around you. That way you are less afraid. Let me help. She takes the patch from my hand and starts for my face.

Wait, I say, fighting to keep my voice steady. What’s going to happen? What will I see? How will I get it back off? What if I can’t—

It’s okay, she says again. Then she leans closer to me and I feel my breath catch. I don’t want to do this. Please don’t make me do this.

And then the smooth cloth slides over my eyes, blinding me. I relax for only a moment, then the patch suctions around my eyes as though laced into the bone, and I feel it against my temple, pressing, digging in. I want to pull it away. I scream out for Mom to help me and hear her say over and over that it’s okay, everything’s okay.

Briefly, I hear President Cartier’s voice in the background. He explains the Taking, how our bodies don’t feel the Ancients receiving our antibodies. How our daily supplements guarantee we have plenty. How our assigned Ancient will come into our room at midnight and how the Ancient will Take for thirty minutes before returning to Loge, their planet. The patch then deactivates, he says. I wonder why he’s saying all of this so quickly and then I know.

As though someone turned off the sound, I can no longer hear. I strain to find a sound in the silence, but there is nothing. And then I can no longer feel or smell. My lungs burn and for a moment I’m sure I’m being suffocated. I try to move my arms, to reach for Mom, but they won’t budge. I try to scream out but no words come. Panic sears my mind, and then one by one my senses return. I feel Mom’s hand gripping mine hard, hear President Cartier’s voice in the background, but still I can’t see or move.

I know I should be listening. I know I should try to remember what to do and how and when. But all I can think about is how in four hours I will have to do this all by myself, in the darkness of my room, waiting, blind and immobilized…as one of them comes for me.

If I could scream…I would.

Chapter One

Seven Years Later

I stare out my window into the darkness, hoping to see them. But of course, that’s stupid. It’s only 11:53. They haven’t even reached Mainland yet.

I’m supposed to be ready, patch secured, but I hate the patch. The way it suctions to my temples like it wants to crawl right into my brain, leaving me immobilized and blind, yet still able to hear, smell…feel.

I don’t get why we have to wear them, but it’s required. Their rule, not ours. Something about an encounter years ago. No one talks about it. No one talks about them at all. Odd considering they control so much of our lives. I haven’t slept over at a friend’s house since I was little. We can’t miss the Taking. And I haven’t gone to sleep before midnight since I was nine. I can’t sleep during the Taking.

Each night I wait by my window, my curiosity almost too much to stand, while I scan the trees hoping to see one of them emerge. I never have, likely never will. The Ancients prefer discretion, Mom once told me. But I’m not sure it’s that simple. Some say they stay hidden because they’re so freakish we’d drop dead of fright. Others say they’re too attractive, too tempting.

I prefer this theory.

The leaves rustle outside, a sound kind of like wind. They are here. They’re unleashing from the trees this very moment, literally moving from their world to ours. The leaves move in rhythm when they emerge, beautiful and unsettling.

As I step away from the window, the first signs of nervousness crawl up my spine. I’m not afraid of them, or at least I’m not afraid of mine, though maybe I should be. I know next to nothing about it. I don’t even know if it’s a he or a she.

I remember the first time. I remember being unable to shake or flinch or show fear and wondering if I’d ever be able to move again. Losing sight was terrifying enough. But throw in being unable to move, while the rest of my senses—hearing, touch—were heightened… I’m not sure how I survived.

That night I was afraid, but that was seven years ago. Now…I’m not sure how I feel. While fear is part of it, if I’m honest, completely honest, there is something deeper than fear inside me for this thing that climbs in my window. I’m curious…too curious to be of any good.

My alarm clock beeps. 11:55 shines out in bright red, the date, October 10, 2140, below it.

I rummage through my nightstand and grab the silver case that holds my patch. Hurriedly, I pop the lid, preparing to slap it over my eyes, but jerk back.

It’s empty.

I flip the drawer upside down. The contents scatter to the floor in a mess. Oh no, oh no, oh no! This isn’t happening. I cover my mouth with my hands and force myself to draw a few breaths. I reach for the case, checking it again. Still empty. Of course it’s still empty!

Beep. 11:56.

The tin roof of my house tings as they step across it. Sort of like a smattering of rain or, better yet, hail. I press the side panel of my stainless steel bed. The hidden drawer slides open. But after another thirty seconds of searching, I’m still empty-handed. I need the patch. I need the patch. I need the patch.

My eyes scour the room and land on my closet, the last place it’s likely to be, but I’m running out of options—and time. I hesitate, glancing around my room, and hear my alarm beep again.

11:58.

I rush to my closet keypad and jab in the code. The steel doors swing open to reveal my perfectly organized shoes and clothes and handbags—perks of being the Engineer commander’s daughter. I search the floor, then yesterday’s clothes pile, hoping the patch is buried inside. It’s not. I scramble out of my closet and to my desk, kicking the chair out of the way.

My hands have just reached into the drawer when the final beep jars me.

11:59. It’s time.

The keypad outside my window sings out with the familiar ten-digit code. I run to my bed and lie down, clenching my eyes shut. My heart beats wildly in my chest. I’m on the verge of hyperventilating. If I make it through tonight, I’ll either be executed or dosed with memory serum. That’s the human punishment, anyway, but how will the Ancients respond? What about my Ancient? There have been stories, old legends—disappearances. Which is why no one is stupid or reckless enough to lose the patch.

Except me.

Beep. Beep. Beep. 12:00.

The floor-to-ceiling window slides open, letting in a gentle breeze. An earthy smell, like pine or freshly mown grass, fills the room. Their smell. It creeps in, making only the tiniest of sounds, and then the springs of my bed creak. Warmth surrounds me and nervous sweat oozes from every gland in my body, but still I hold my eyes tight. My body tenses, a reflex of years of combat training preparing me to fight if necessary. I feel arms on either side of me, and then air as its body lifts and hovers above me, preparing for the Taking.

The heat intensifies. It bounces back and forth, back and forth. Our bodies make the connection. Now the waiting as the antibodies it needs are sucked from my body into its body.

Five minutes pass, then ten, maybe more. I’ve tried to count many times but lose track with each breath it releases upon me. Has it noticed I’m not wearing the patch? Surely so, but then wouldn’t it say something—do something? I don’t know. Chills run over my body, and I fight to push them away. I need to focus, think. And then it happens.

A single drop of liquid hits my lip, and reflexively I lick it away. My taste buds explode with flavor. A perfect mixture of sweet and sour, warm and cold. I’ve felt the droplets before but only ever a single drop. I hardly gave it notice. Another drop and another.

My eyes fly open and round out in shock.

It—he—hovers above me as light as air. A bright glow encircles him. His eyes are closed. A sweet smile rests on his perfect face. Another drop hits my cheek, and I glance up to see tiny teardrops slip from his eyes, as though the Taking is too overwhelming to handle.

I should move. I should speak. I should do something, but I can’t look away. I want to reach out to him. Touch his face to see if he’s real. Because he can’t be…this can’t be. Yet it is.

My Ancient is Jackson Locke.

Athletic. Smart. Arrogant. The kind of boy all the girls notice at school but few are comfortable enough to talk to. He leads in everything he does…and he’s my great competition for top seed.

My mind replays every instance I can remember of seeing him. He looked so normal—looks so normal. But he’s here. So he must be…

His eyes snap open and, startled, I jerk up in bed, slamming into him. He crashes down on top of me. Hey! I fight to get his giant six-foot body off me.

Shhh. Are you crazy?

What are you doing here? I ask, my voice shrill.

Be quiet! We don’t want to— Oh no. His head jerks to the window. No faith, that’s for sure, he mutters, and I shake my head in confusion. He isn’t making any sense. I strain to listen, but I can’t hear or see anything at all. Then I realize someone is coming. Another Ancient. I’d forgotten about Dad’s and Mom’s Ancients. They may have been in the house when I screamed. For the first time since losing my patch, fear grips my chest, coursing through my body like an electrical pulse.

Jackson’s gaze falls on mine. Ari… he whispers. I know how this looks and I can explain, I can, but not now. Tomorrow night.

His head jerks to the window again, and I feel his body tense against mine. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to think. All I know is that I’m in trouble, maybe even we’re in trouble, yet all I can think about is the way he just said my name. Ari. Not with menace or sarcasm or jealousy, like I’m used to from everyone—including him, the few times we’ve faced each other at school. He says it like I’m more than just a girl who everyone recognizes but no one sees.

He looks back down at me. Close your eyes, he whispers. We have to finish the Taking.

I hesitate, not wanting to be so vulnerable, but eventually close my eyes. What choice do I have? Seconds tick by, then minutes. The heat returns. He’s over me again. Then a soft tap sounds against the window.

Jackson lowers himself off the bed. I want to steal a peek, but fear forces me to stay still, eyes shut tight.

A conversation starts low, too low for me to hear. Sort of like a fly buzzing close to your ear. I ache to move closer, to hear what they’re saying. Jackson’s tone hardens.

No, he says. Same as usual. I’m done. Let’s head back.

Another buzzing.

She can’t move, he says, which would be true if I were wearing the patch. But I’m not, which he knows. He’s protecting me.

Buzzing.

Yes, it’s fine. I’m sure.

Why is he protecting me? Hosts are assigned. He has known me most of my life. The revelation sends my mind into turbo mode. He knew me all along yet has never given me a moment’s notice in school. Do the Engineers know? Does Dad know?

My mind continues to contemplate everything I’ve always known and everything I’ve never guessed, until the sweet smell of his skin evaporates. The window slides open and clicks closed.

He’s gone.

Everything that just happened is swarming my thoughts at once, but one thought rises above all the others…

I’m not sure I can wait until tomorrow night to find out what’s going on.

Chapter Two

Ari!

I jerk up in bed, my eyes darting around for Jackson before I remember that he already left. I yank off the covers. What time is it? Time, time, come on, where are you? I stumble through the darkness until I find my alarm clock, which is facedown on the floor. 5:10. I spin around, cursing myself for not setting out training clothes last night.

I’m almost to my closet when my bedroom door slides open and my dad storms in. He’s so tall his head barely clears the doorframe. As usual, he looks as though he wakes already dressed for the day—gelled dark brown hair, smooth shave—except that instead of his usual black collared shirt and slacks, he has on his training clothes. Uh oh. Since Dad is too rigid to be normal, he fully dresses for the day when he works in his home office during the hour before our training. The fact that he’s already changed means I’m even later than I thought.

Do you see the time? he asks. I expected you downstairs ten minutes ago. You know my schedule. I—

I know, I know, I’m sorry. My alarm didn’t go off. I’m almost ready. Give me five minutes. I fumble with my closet keypad, entering the code wrong three times before I get it right.

Dad crosses his arms, oozing disappointment and annoyance. Heat rises on my neck and my palms grow clammy, like my body can’t decide whether to be angry or embarrassed. Fine, you have five minutes, he says. But I expect you to take this seriously. He reaches for my nightstand. I’ll log your patch—

No! I race to the nightstand and slam the drawer before he can pull out my patch case. The case that, once placed in our reader, will show my patch missing. I don’t think the Ancients require executions anymore, but memory serum sucks. Every kid has been given it for accidentally forgetting the patch or not putting it on correctly…and none of us ever wants to get it again. No memories for twenty-four hours. A whole day gone, and that’s precautionary. The whole thing leaves you feeling

Reviews for Gravity

[goforbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't think 5 stars is enough!!!
I read this book in a matter of a few hours. When it was complete I was left on the verge of tears of sorrow and joy and gasping for breath!! I'm already trying to get a hold of the next book! I fell in love with Ari and Jackson. Though not always believable circumstances, it is called fiction! I love this book!

[erlangeralpacajedis · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about aliens infiltrating and controlling a dystopian future Earth. Sounds pretty cool, right? Nope. It's slow, the dialogue is boring, the characters are unrealistic, the romance is weird, the plot is poorly paced, and I had a hard time finishing it.

[kazhout · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)Actual rating: 3.5I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I've only read a few dystopian/post-apocalyptic books - considering it's been the current trend - and Gravity certainly makes a nice addition to my list.In Ari Alexander's world, humans owed their lives to Ancients - aliens who, apparently, had been on Earth for a long time. After the damage that had been brought by World War IV, these Ancients formed a treaty with the humans, and under it, the Ancients would help sustain life on Earth in exchange of a future coexistence because they were having problems with their own planet. However, the Ancients couldn't survive on Earth without the Taking, a process where they get antibodies from humans.Ari was the daughter of the Commander - practically the second most powerful man in Sydia - and since position was hereditary for the higher-ups in their society, her life had already been planned out for her the moment she'd been born. She was to train physically and mentally, learn the responsibilities she would one day have, and even marry the President's son who was one of her best friends. She didn't love that last bit, but she knew she had to do it. She became what everyone had expected her of being, until she discovered something: Jackson Locke, her biggest rival in Operative training, was the Ancient assigned to her for the Taking.I love it when females kick ass, so of course I loved Ari. She was like Tris Prior from Divergent, only better at fighting. She was also intelligent and kind-hearted, and it was really fun to see her breaking the rules that she'd been following her whole life. And, like Ari, the whole time, I was also confused as to whose side I should take: the overconfident humans' or the vicious aliens'. Jackson, on the other hand, was mysterious all throughout the story. His identity, plans, and motives were always questionable, and so he was always interesting; quite swoon-worthy, too.Their romance blossomed faster than I would have expected, though. I mean, sure, Ari found out that Jackson's the Ancient assigned to her and she began working with him in his mission, but to like him in a few days when she'd disliked him for years?But I did love the world-building. Melissa West wrote a very believable future world: technologically-advanced yet suffering because of humanity's actions. And the aliens! I already believe in aliens, and add to that a Discovery Channel documentary I watched last year about aliens that have been on Earth since prehistoric times, and even the aliens in this book were creepily believable.And the pace was amazing. I was immediately thrown into action when I started reading this, and I forced myself to put it down on the first "calm" part I got to. Also, the writing was solid and straight-to-the-point.I love plots that revolve around high stakes - and I can't think of anything higher than planet domination and racial safety - but the ending was a letdown for me. I felt like it ended around twenty pages before it should have. West could've answered the most immediate questions and made me anxious for the sequel, but now I only feel like something's missing.MY FAVORITE PARTS were the very entertaining Law/Jackson scenes.

[punkfarie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Rating – 3 ½ Stars*I received a free copy of this novel through the Arcycling blog*In the future an alien race called Ancients saved the Earth after humans destroyed it in a war. As part of a treaty to terraform the Earth back to its somewhat natural environment every night; the Ancients came down to earth to “Take” from the humans (still not entirely clear on what that involves but it has something to do with making the aliens more human). Humans have a special eye patch they are required to wear during the Taking to keep them from seeing what the Ancients are doing.You are never ever supposed to lose your eye patch. So what does Ari do? She loses it.Ari is the daughter of the Commander, who is basically the head of the military for the whole country (I believe. It’s also like the 2nd in command to the President or something) which means she will one day be Commander. She trains every day, with her father and at school. She’s kind of a badass. She’s the head of her class. Her only competition is Jackson Locke.The same Jackson Locke that is hovering above her bed the night she loses her patch. Surprise! He’s an Ancient. And he needs her help.The humans have always been told that the Aliens are the enemy, they are dangerous, and they are just waiting to take the Earth for themselves but Jackson tells a different story. The Ancients are peaceful and just want to share the Earth and live with the humans.The leaders of Earth are planning something and Jackson needs to know what it is. He wants to prevent a war between and Ari being the daughter of the Commander and one of the future leaders of the world; she can help him. She has access to government secrets.When the leaders of the world fail to meet the leader of the Ancients terms, the attacks begin. Ancients are killing humans. This only furthers the ideas that the aliens are the enemy but when Ari starts digging into the government secrets, she discovers that maybe the humans in charge are the enemy.So, I’m generally not into sci-fi alien stories. I’m more of a fantasy girl. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The premise was definitely interesting; it was a nice novel for someone that’s generally not into that genre.There are a few plot holes and there is a pretty extreme case of not enough being explained (I’m still confused on what the Taking is. And a few other things that I won’t mention because they are a bit spoilery). And there was some insta-love (can that die already?!) but it wasn’t as insta as some over YA books.Also, quite often during reading this book, I was putting it down to do other things. More than once I was reading and wondered what was on tumblr. One time I decided to braid my hair in the middle of a paragraph. What I’m trying to say is, the book drags a bit. The last few chapters pick up and man, if the pacing and the storyline had been the same through the whole book, this would have been an amazing novel.I liked Ari as a character. A lot is expected of Ari, being who she is and she’s told more than once everything she does is a reflection of her father but her ability to see things from the other side is great. She’s pretty damn independent and she doesn’t really take any bullshit. She halls off and punches a President’s son for grabbing her ass. She’s also pretty heroic in the face of death, thinking about other people and not just wanting to save herself.Jackson…he’s a little shady. There’s a lot of secrets being kept from humans and Ancients and I don’t know if I trust Jackson or not.YOverall, it was an okay start to a series. Not the best but good enough that I’m interested in how it plays out. I will be checking out these second in the series, Hover, which comes out August 13th, 2013.Read this review and more at Punk's House of Books

[celeste.harrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was originally reviewed with Jag on The Book Hookup

**A copy was provided by Entangled Teen but that did not influence the review**

Aliens:
*Celeste: Well, it’s official. I never knew I loved stories about aliens but between this and JLA’s Lux series I’m totally sold.
*Jag: For realz! I honestly never thought I could get into the alien genre but wow, this book sealed the deal for me.

The story:
*Jag: I’d been eye-balling this book on amazon for a while and when it came across our email I jumped at the chance. I was completely drawn to the pretty cover and was intrigued by the description. I adore apocalyptic dystopian books and the alien twist was something new to me. From the first few pages this book owned me, I could not put it down, it sucked me in and kept me up late.
*Celeste: I love the first line of the synopsis: Don’t. Ever. Peek. I picked up the book only planning to read a few pages, and all of a sudden I was 1/3 of the way through. This book takes place in a post-apocalyptic time on earth, and the only reason the humans are surviving is because of an agreement with the Ancients (the aliens). Ah, but let’s be serious, no one really wants to stick to their end of the bargain or compromise so there is plotting and planning and plenty of secrets!

Ari and Jackson as heroine and the hero:
*Celeste: Well, Ari was kick ass! She was a military dream. She was trained by the best, her dad, and could more than prove herself. She was confident, yet still humble, and never over-thought or did any foolish impulsive behavior. All of this made her believable and the kind of heroine I love to read about. Jackson, well he was quite tasty since he was gorgeous, had blue-green eyes and a confidence that is impossible to resist. He also has a soft spot inside, which makes him pretty much perfect.
*Jag: *sigh* well put Celeste. In this society, you are born into your roles. Not only is Ari being trained to replace her high ranking military father, she’s also betrothed. Ari is so ‘by the book’ that she accepts her future, that is until she meets Jackson. The most popular guy in school, he’s gorgeous, mysterious & swoony and he’s changed all the rules for Ari.

The romance:
*Jag: There is a lot going on in this story and while the romance is a little light, I think it has to be. Having Ari & Jackson’s relationship accelerate quickly would have really been against Ari’s nature. It would have felt false, she’s more cautious than that. I think the next book is going to be off the hook slow burn and romance.
*Celeste: I think it’s going to be good! It’s really only starting to grow legs and I like that as it is so much more believable than the love at first sight. Ari and Jackson have only just started to act on their feelings and I can’t wait to see where the next installment takes them.

Ari and Jackson are pretty awesome, but what about Law and Gretchen?
*Celeste: Lawrence (Law) is cool and ends up being pretty tasty himself. At first I thought a gross love triangle, but his character really surprised me and turned out to be pretty awesome. Frankly, by the end I wouldn’t mind if Ari got a little action from him on the side. ;) Gretchen was also someone I really liked. I usually have a bad taste for the annoying BFF in so many YA novels, but that was definitely not the case here.
*Jag: I was totally expecting a love triangle here and LOVED being wrong. Law is a total treat and I adored him but my feeling for Gretchen ran the gammut, a bit of a love hate thing. There’s such an amazing comfort level and camaraderie among these characters who’s futures are so set in stone. Unfortunately, the heart wants what the heart wants…and I’ll leave it at that.

Twists and turns and double crossings:
*Jag: This book kept me guessing the entire time. What was going on, who was involved, who was lying, who was good, who was bad. GAH more twists and turns than a roller coaster, an awesome ride!
*Celeste: I was surprised at how evil some characters were. I’m not sure who to trust yet and I love that the author has me guessing.

Any Gripes:
*Celeste: For such a technologically advanced society I was surprised no one was tracked since they all have key cards. Ari did quite a bit of sneaking around, which I assumed was logged somewhere so I kept waiting for her to be caught. I guess it just didn’t seem consistent.
*Jag: I have to agree with you Celeste. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and when it didn’t I just suspended my belief and went with the flow.

The ending:
*Jag: I.can’t.wait.for.the.next.book! There’s still sooo much we don’t know and I’ve really grown to love these characters.
*Celeste: Ooooh, the next book is going to be good. So many more truths are going to come out!

Rec it?
*Celeste: YES YES YES! It had all the goodness: romance and aliens in a post-apocalyptic and dystopian setting. Win!
*Jag: YES! ABSOLUTELY! I don’t top shelf many books, at all, but this one is going there and honestly I couldn’t be more surprised. I never thought aliens would be my thing :)

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

I am, of course, inextricably drawn to all dystopias, but the gorgeous cover on this one bumped it up my TBR pile. Plus, the fact that it's about aliens intrigued me. A straight up science fiction plot line sounded refreshing and like it left room open for serious originality. Gravity did not turn out to be quite what I was hoping for, but still proved an engaging read.

The world building of Gravity left me with copious amounts of questions. For example, I would dearly love to know what the first contact between the Ancients and the humans was like. Surely, this would be remembered. However, what I do know is pretty cool. The Ancients are fascinating. Driven from their home world as it dries up, they have been moving to Earth slowly in exchange for keeping peace there. They have the ability to look human, although oddly tanned, beautiful and with strange eyes that shift from blue to green (my eyes totally do this, so if I ever tanned, I would totally look like an Ancient...minus the insanely beautiful thing). I would also love to know more about how they gave themselves a human appearance.

Well, there is one other weird thing about the Ancients. Their bodies consist largely of a different substance than water. As one might expect, they are biologically different. Per the deal with the leaders of Earth, the Ancients obtain their nutrients by taking them from humans every night. People put on immobilizing masks and sleep and Ancients come in the windows and leech nutrients. If they wanted to, the Ancients could kill via this same method. This process is called 'the taking.' Criminals must love this society, since everyone's got their windows unlocked and is lying immobile in bed, but whatever.

Ari is studing to be an Operator, sort of like a police officer/soldier/special agent, so far as I understand it. Her father is the Commander, the second most powerful man in the United States' government. She will inherit this role. Though she's only seventeen, she is engaged to be married to the President's son, Lawrence. She likes him, but not romantically; their engagement is solely political. Ari's training involves a lot of fighting and she does kick butt.

While all of that stuff makes a captivating premise, Gravity sticks much too closely to the standard romance formula. Ari falls into the category of gorgeous heroines that feel average and that every guy wants, complete with a less attractive and talented best friend to envy her success with menfolk. The two most popular guys want to be with Ari. Go figure.

The book opens with Ari unable to find her sleeping mask. As such, she is awake when her Ancient comes for 'the taking.' She discovers that he is just as attractive as she imagined, and also that he goes to her school, none other than the gorgeous Jackson. Now that they have this bond, they have no choice but to instalove. In a matter of weeks, they go from never having conversed to being in love forever, despite the disapproval of their parents. Pardon me while I hurl. Even worse, Jackson does that thing where he tries to end things because he's no good for her. This trope makes me crazy!

My other issue was that, though I read everything, it felt as though I had missed things. For example, Ari and Jackson were working together to try to figure out a way to prevent war between the Ancients and the humans, and Lawrence (nicknamed Law apparently, which is stupid) was jealous of this guy (who had a girlfriend) edging in on his lady. Then, all of a sudden, Lawrence is part of the plan and calling Jackson 'Jack.' When did they bond? Some things just felt like they came out of the blue.

This first book of The Taking reads quickly, and whets the appetite for some darker books. I hope to see more world building and less of a focus on romance in the next installment.

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been reading a lot of sci-fi books, and this one doesn't disappoint. Gravity is a mix between sci-fi and dystopian. Two great dystopians in one.... heck yeah!

The characters were great. Aria is a kick butt chick. She's not that arrogant type that annoys the hell out of you either. She still has the same confusing emotions that all teenage girls have. I think that's what makes her such a relatable character. Jackson is very mysterious. You never really understand his intentions. He's also wicked hot, so that probably adds to his appeal. I adore him and think he's a great character. I appreciated the fact that Aria and Jackson were faced with probably situations. Aria has to decide whether she trusts her dad an what the government has always told her. Jackson just wants to do what's best for everyone.

There was quite a bit of action. I still wonder where all of the situations lead, and maybe things aren't exactly what they seem. Gravity is fast paced, and you are thrown into the dynamics of this new way of living. The ending left me in "what the crap" mode. I can't wait for the sequel, Hover.

Even if you aren't a big fan of science fiction, I think you should give this one a try. You'll like it.

[emily_anne-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gravity was such an addicting read! I finished the book in one day, two sittings. When I picked it up at my bookstore I thought it sounded intriguing and noticed it had a gorgeous cover, with a praising quote from Jennifer L. Armentrout I might add. Basically, I had high expectations and they were met.

The beginning started with such a unique bang I couldn't help but be pulled in. The taking is kind of creepy and different enough to make anyone know more. I truly felt sympathy for all the 10 year olds who had to endure knowing that an alien was walking around their room at night, while their eyes were sealed shut. For those who haven't read the book, The Taking is a event happening every night, to every human. Don't. Ever. Peek. I will leave you at that!

Anyway, as the synopsis says, Ari peeks one night and find Jackson standing over her. So, yeah, he's an alien. Let me delve into both the characters. Ari was such a well done character! She is realistic, and definitely has character growth. She is strong, and thoughtful. Finally a dystopian(ish) main character who didn't annoy me! You could tell she had a realistic struggle within herself, but was tough and smart enough to examine ALL the sides! To me, she learned to be open to new possibilities such as aliens... And she loved her family and her friends. She didn't whine, and she learns to "act for herself", as her dad tells her. And she was smart! (did I mention she was smart?) She took her time safely getting info, and doesn't get foolishly caught!

Jackson was a pretty good character, although I hope we get to see more development in his character for the next book, Hover. There was a twist about him in the end, which I wasn't expecting. Also, I loved how he talked about his (alien/ancient) homeland though. He made me want to go there, and his loyalty to the place gave him an extra layer. Other characters included Law and Gretchen. Both of them were fun and developed characters and I hope they are in the next book!

The plot was unique and different... I do love different takes on Aliens (Obsidian, The Host, The 5th wave etc.) Is it just me or are Aliens getting commoner and commoner? The new vampires perhaps. *sighs* At least this one beat any crowd that might come after the 5th wave, which was really good! Plus, the taking, the fabulous war, and the SMART main character make this stand away from any sort of crowd out there.

Overall, this was a great read. I loved Jackson! I loved the plot and the addictive writing! Gravity is definitely a book I will recommend over and over again...

5/5 stars

[erlangerfactionless · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about aliens infiltrating and controlling a dystopian future Earth. Sounds pretty cool, right? Nope. It's slow, the dialogue is boring, the characters are unrealistic, the romance is weird, the plot is poorly paced, and I had a hard time finishing it.

[ninelarks-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Ari Alexander lives in a semi-post apocalyptic world that has been forced invite aliens onto Earth. But she breaks the first rule: don't ever peek. And from there is pulled into a story of corruption and betrayal and of course, it's up to her to save the world alongside a hot alien boy.

I couldn't buy the premise - the patches cannot be the only way to transfer antibodies or whatnot. Just seems like an easy plot device to start the whole story after she "peeks".

It was a typical love triangle with the forbidden hot stranger boy and the typical pretty much perfect already-established relationship boy.
It was a typical try-to-be kick-ass girl that beats people up, but is still a romantic at heart.
It was a typical save the world story.

I can see why people who read this type of book will love this story - it's really not a bad book. It's not poorly written, the grammar and sentence structure are good, the characters are stereotypical but still lovable.
Maybe I'm just growing out of these books or I'm not in the mood, but to be honest, I couldn't even finish it because it wasn't interesting enough for me. But I didn't hate it. It was just not engaging for me - it felt like the story was written on a paranormal teen romance check list with the expected tropes and everything.

One star because I still couldn't finish the book. It used to be one and a half, but I took the half away because it really wasn't that good. Recommended for people who like paranormal teen romances.

[vanyadrum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley.

Wow, I can't believe I haven't gotten to reviewing Gravity in like 3 months or something. Life's just busy nowadays. Whew!

Anyways, I'm excited to say that Gravity didn't lack almost anything. Some places sounded too overdone however, and were a bit like other dystopian books I've read before, hence the 4 stars. Still, the story was mostly original - especially since it had to do with aliens and human/alien relations. I'd never experienced another book like this one, where the aliens were exposed and beneficial to the community.

It was, least to say, different. In a good, refreshing way.

It was a bit predictable though, so that's sort of going towards the negative. But, I liked the writing style and the action. I didn't necessarily approve of the aliens' means of accomplishing peace. Or of the humans' means of keeping the aliens out. But, you know, you gotta have a story, and a conflict, so yeah.

The romance side of the story was nothing new. There was the supposed love triangle, which wasn't really a triangle at all. There was the deception, the mistrust, the doubt, followed closely by forgiveness, finding each other and so forth. It was cute really, in an end-of-the-world sort of way.

A positive thing was that all the characters had a depth and their own unique voice. And most importantly, they had opinions and experiences and didn't hesitate to act upon the former, based on the latter.

I believe that if you enjoy dystopian stories, you'd definitely fall in love with this one. Have fun!

[jennrenae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gravity by Melissa WesteARC received from Entangled PublishingAvailable NOW!Reviewed by: Middle Sis JennThe Sisters Say: Gripping and Grotesque--with a hint of romance!I had been looking forward to reading Gravity since I first read the blurb months and months ago. The concept was new and refreshing, and I couldn’t wait to dig into Jackson’s secrets! Now that I have read it, I will say—his secrets are definitely worth reading! Adventurous and romantic, Gravity will lift your off your feet and send your soaring through a broken world teetering on the brink of destruction. The world building was my favorite part of this book. Earth has been ravaged by war after war, to the point where nothing grows naturally any more. As a result, humans had to reach out to the Ancients to try and bring the Earth and its resources back to life. I found the new government interesting—how the future seemed to bleed back into the past where family lineage was the way to power; yet the technology was much more advanced than our own. Prejudice and poverty are rife, and those in power seek to obtain perfection. I found Ari to be a kick butt heroine, even though she was daft at times. Her father is one of the most powerful people in this dystopian world, and he is in charge of the safety of the citizens. Since power is handed down through families, this makes Ari the next in line to be the sort of supreme commander. She has ninja skills that would make Jackie Chan look twice, and she doesn’t give in to pain and vulnerability. I liked that strength about her, and I liked that she also had a mind of her own. She wasn’t brainwashed like you would think many who have been indoctrinated to believe something would be; instead, she looks at the evidence, weighs the consequences, and then chooses what she thinks is best for the world. The only thing that bugged me at times is she seemed to be clueless when it comes to relationships. There were things that she didn’t understand that were right in front of her, and that made me want to smack her at points.Don’t. Ever. Peak.But with Jackson Locke? That’s just not possible! He’s gorgeous—sculpted and made to look like the perfect human being, but he also has the hero complex that just makes me swoon. Add the fact that he floats over Ari every night while she is asleep (hot!), and he is just full to the brim with sexiness! But Jackson has secrets of his own, and I really didn’t see them coming. Maybe I should have, but Melissa did a great job of making you focus on other aspects of the world and the forth-coming war that when you discover his secret, you don’t really see it coming. Jackson made me smile—that’s how I would explain him. He’s the guy that’s caring and can hypnotize you with a look, yet once the trance is broken, you see how dangerous and deadly he truly is. And The ENDING!!!! Oh my goodness, I can’t wait for the next book to come out because I need to know what is in store for Ari and her world! I was able to predict that something weird/crazy would happen just from the hints, but everything is still all up in the air; and I’m not really sure if I have any idea about what is coming. So, Melissa and Entangled…..we need book 2 now!!!! Now!!! Please!!!I did find a few plot holes throughout the story, but since this is just the first book, it is probably because those revelations have yet to be revealed.Melissa creates a world torn apart by despair and greed, where its brother against brother, friend against friend—a world where fate is manipulated, love is perilous, and truth is obscured. So ignore the warning, and take a peak!

[alaiel4kreuz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gravity surprised me. I wasn't sure what to expect, after all, aliens are not in my confort zone but, well, after reading Obsidian my horizon grew even more. And I'm glad it did, otherwise I wouldn't have read this great book.The characters:- Ari Alexander, our female main character, is one kickass girl. Tough, strong, determined. She was raised to lead, to become one of the next Legacy leaders in this future world. Soon she will be Commander, just like her dad. And she can handle everything you toss at her feet, or die trying.- Jackson, the male main character, is as we soon discover, part of the Ancients and therefore enemy of our world. But he has secrets. Secrets he wants to share with Ari to prevent a war that will destroy not only the whole human race but also two things he treasures most.- Lawrence is not the male main character but he is another Legacy. He goes to school with Ari, Gretchen (Ari's bestfriend) and Jackson and, you know, he is going to be the next President. And did I mention he is going to be Ari's future husband too? An arranged marriage to unite both their powers, of course.I'm sure you will sympathize, if not with all the characters, with most of them. Especially because they all give depth to the plot. This is a book full of diverse characters with each a different personality.The plot:What I loved the most about this book is that the adults are the ones "in control" of what's going on... or so they think. Yes, as always, they are doing a big mess threatening to destroy everything we love just because they are greedy and afraid of what they don't understand BUT you want to know the good thing? They have kids! Yes!And trust me, we are lucky they exist. As future leaders most of the main characters try to do their best in order to prevent both races annihilation.And for better or worse I understood their decisions. Maybe I didn't agree with all they did but I was able to see why they did certain things.But although I love the plot I had a little problem with one thing: there is no proper foundation. At least not for me.I mean, what exactly happened to our world that it ended up needing the help of aliens in the first place? What happened to the countries and why is almost everybody so poor? I think that in my head I would have prefer to imagine this as a whole different world from the beginning.As for the romance part right now you may think there's going to be a love triangle (and, if you are like me, you may be a little tired of those) but don't worry, Melissa made sure to entertain and offer a very well thought book. Soon you will find yourself cheering for each couple's happiness.Overall I can only say that this book was great. A perfect mix between dystopia and sci-fi that will keep you reading until the very end. And then wanting more. Much more. And I know the book is kind of short, but don't let it fool you, it's packed with information from the very first page and very fast paced.