For a ticket to Earth, 17-year-old Anna-Maria "Ann" Solano is ready to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Her mission is easy: escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann's determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace's expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann's perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants. This is the story of a girl who must choose between fulfilling the dream that has always sustained her or save the planet she's never considered home.
Reviews with the most likes.
DNF - PG 28
Why? (Direct quote from the book.)
I break off a piece of the chocolate and pop it in my mouth.Without warning, Raid leans in and kisses me. “Mmmm, tasty,” he says as he pulls away.“Gross, Raid.” I wipe my mouth with the heel of my hand.“Really?” He steps back, his face a blank mask. “Way to kill the mood, Ann.”“Like sticking your tongue in my mouth when I'm not expecting it?”“Some girls would like that.” Raid tugs up his pants, which have slipped down his narrow hips.“You need a belt. Or smaller pants.” I say, shoving the rest of the chocolate into my mouth. I know I'm being cruel, and I don't care. I can't have Raiden Lin seducing [1] me into staying on Eco. Not when I'm so close to leaving.Raid stares at me for a moment before shaking his head. “What a baby.” He turns to Emie and Kam. “Isn't she a baby?” [2]“Now, Raid,” says Emile. [3]“Yes,” says Kam.“So why don't you run along, little girl? Back to your mommy and daddy.” Raid's black eyes flash. “I'm sure they can show you how to behave like a grown-up. Oh wait, maybe not.”
Real prince, isn't he?
This is toxic crap, plain and simple, and all because a girl doesn't want to give this boy the right to kiss her whenever he wants. He's not even her boyfriend which would at least explain away how he thought he could just suddenly kiss her, even if it would have done nothing to explain the attitude. What's even better, this comes from one of her two love interests, probably the main side in the love triangle. (I did skip ahead enough to discover that because, up until this point, I was actually quite enjoying the book. But this is rape culture and that should no longer be acceptable in books.)
And I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is the boy she gets at the end, because girls in YA have a habit of choosing the creepiest, crappiest, most rape-tastic boy they can.
(Oh, I'm sorry, I was supposed to be swooning over how hot he was - but, hey, you know what? I think consent is hot.)
[1]What the hell about that was seductive?
[2]Because the girl doesn't want you to kiss her right now, she automatically has to be a baby. And you are so secure in yourself that you immediately have to seek reassurance from friends.
[3]Lovely defense of your best friend.
