Intraterrestrial

Adam Helios is a bully magnet without many friends. When he starts hearing a voice that claims to come from the stars, he fears he’s losing his mind, so he withdraws even further. On the way home from a meeting at the school, he and his parents are involved in a horrible car crash. With his skull cracked open, Adam’s consciousness is abducted by the alien who has been speaking to him for months.

After surviving the wreck with only minor scratches, Camille Helios must deal with her guilt over the accident that left her husband badly injured and her son in a coma. When the doctor suggests letting Adam go, Camille refuses to stop fighting for her son’s life.

Lost among galaxies, Adam must use his imagination to forge a path home before his body dies on the operating table. But even if he does return to Earth, he may end up locked inside a damaged brain forever.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Nicholas Conley takes readers out of this world and into the imagination of a young boy who is dying from a massive brain injury in his novel, Intraterrestrial. After a car accident leaves Adam in a comatose state, an alien race contacts him in hopes that he'll be able to help them beat the Destroyer by traveling through space. 

Adam Helios is the adopted son of Camille and John Helios who has run into a little trouble with bullies at his school. Though Adam is intelligent, a good friend, mechanically inclined, and imaginative, this doesn't help him stay out of the bully's line of sight. However, Adam's intelligence, imagination, and desire to do good will help him face the battle of his life, or rather the battle for his life. Readers will instantly align with Adam's character as he is represented as the underdog who stands up for others. When he's put into a coma after a brain injuring car accident, readers will feel even more connected to him. Yet, it's during this time that readers really see Adam's inner strength, persistence, and determination as he must battle the Destroyer if he wants to save an alien race and return to his earthly body. 

The creativity of this novel is wonderful and fresh, even in the midst of tragedy. I have wondered what is happening to people who are in a comatose state and Conley uses that curiosity to spark interest throughout this book. As Adam battles the Destroyer in his mind, or in outer space (whichever way you choose to look at it), his mother and father are trying to make the right decisions for him in reality. This creates a suspenseful situation where both the reader and the characters are in a sort of limbo. I also think that Camille's evolution of character also adds to the connectivity that readers can feel with this novel. Though I was kind of annoyed with her attitude and personality early on, the events that transpire push her to change into the kind of person she wants to be, which is nice. 

The only downside of this novel was that it was a bit predictable. There was a kind of obvious set-up of events and the book follows them almost exactly. I would have liked a few more surprises, but I don't think this takes away from the overall enjoyment of the book. I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy science fiction. However, there was some adult language so I wouldn't recommend it for all ages. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (101)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Fallout Girl by Katie Rose Guest Pryal. I'm excited to start this one because it's a psychological thriller and I really enjoy reading those. But, I am getting ready for my last term of grad school so... who knows how many books I'll be able to choose while I'm finishing up. That means I have to make my choices great! And I think this one fits the bill as Miranda struggles with trust and constantly needing to escape to save herself, or so she thinks... 

Teaser Tuesday (312)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

The French Adventure (Kindle 21%)

    - Lucy Coleman

Bit by bit I can work my hand further inside to scoop out the loose debris surrounding the object. Finally, a piece of stone that seemed to be wedged in front of the object releases and suddenly there it is in my hand -- a small wooden box.

In a Jam

Andie Carson has to do three things to inherit her grandmother’s lottery winnings—sober up, spend a month running her grandmother’s Georgia coffee shop, and enter homemade jam in the county fair. If she can’t meet those terms, the money goes to the church, and Andie gets nothing. She figures her tasks will be easy enough, and once she completes them, Andie plans to sell the shop, take the money, and run back to Boston.

After a rough breakup from his crazy ex-fiancée, Officer Gunnar Wills decides to take a hiatus from women. All he wants is to help make his small town thrive the way it did when he was a kid. But when wild and beautiful Andie shows up, Gunnar’s hesitant heart begins to flutter.

Gunnar knows that Andie plans to leave, but he’s hoping to change her mind, fearful that if her coffee shop closes, Main Street will fold to the big-box corporations and forever change the landscape of his quaint community. But convincing her to stay means getting close enough to risk his heart in the process. Even though Gunnar makes small-town life seem a little sweeter, Andie has to decide if she’s ready to turn her world upside down and give up big-city life. One thing’s for sure—it’s a very sticky situation.

*May Contain Spoilers*

In a Jam by Cindy Dorminy was exactly what I wanted it to be! The book is a love story that's easy to slip right into and stay until the end. It was a perfectly enjoyable romance that I read in a single day. The characters were flawed but likable, while the plot was steady and interesting. 

Andie is a lonely woman who mistakes drinking buddies for real friends. She has a problem and, even though she knows it, she doesn't see a reason to change. Like many of us in this world, she craves connection. Her grandmother offers that with Andie's inheritance stipulations. However, it takes a while for Andie to see it that way. Andie is a woman with a beautiful heart and giving spirit. She's nice and accepting to everyone she meets, but she also knows how to stand up for herself. With the rules of the inheritance in place, Andie's grandmother is determined to give Andie the chance at a better life through her own death. All Andie has to do is follow the rules for six weeks and then she can do whatever she wants. But, through the trials that accompany her relocation, Andie realizes that what she thought she wanted, isn't actually what she desires. Readers will have multiple chances to connect with Andie throughout the novel whether it be emotionally or through her personality. 

Gunnar shares the role of narrator with Andie and offers readers another main character to connect with. Gunnar is a recovering playboy who had his heart broken by his ex-fiance. As he keeps an eye on Andie, he quickly realizes that he's falling for her and wonders if she would ever consider permanently relocating to his small town. I think readers will connect with his personality and quick wit at the beginning, but soon realize that there are more layers to Gunnar than it first seems. Through his past, that threatens to come back and wreak havoc, readers will feel invested in Gunnar's character and want him to win over Andie for a chance at happily ever after. 

With these two characters and a fun supporting cast, I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of romance and those readers who enjoy a book that keeps them turning pages. This book pulls you in from the beginning and, as hurdles keep popping up, the urge to keep going just becomes stronger and stronger. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups