Book Review: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Pages: 352

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: July 30, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told.  Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go. Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson. Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do."

Tavia Michaels should have died in the plane crash along with her parents and everyone else on the plane.  However, she's the sole survivor.  With the hope of starting over, she moves to New Hampshire with her aunt and uncle.  She spends most of her time at the town library working on her school assignments and visiting with her psychologist.  At the library, there's a clerk, Benson, who catches her eye. He's nerdy in a hot way and nice to Tavia. What's not to like?  They become good friends, but there's a catch...he has his eyes set on another girl.  Meanwhile, Tavia is having strange visions that seem to be from the past and involve a guy named Quinn Avery who is dressed in old fashioned clothing. She should just forget about Quinn, but she is inexplicably drawn to him.  Plus, Quinn has an important message for her.  Things are definitely not what they seem in Aprilynne Pike's Earthbound.

Tavia is a multi-faceted character and has some secrets regarding her abilities in Earthbound.  When Tavia comes to New Hampshire, she starts to learn about herself and what she is capable of, all with the support of her best friend/crush, Benson.  He really helps her figure out what's going on in her life and is her only real friend.  I wasn't the biggest fan of Benson, because he kind of dropped his life for Tavia, which I didn't find too realistic.

Quinn, on the other hand, is super mysterious and I was immediately drawn to him, as is Tavia.  I wanted to know more about his backstory in Earthbound.  You are probably thinking that this sounds like another annoying love triangle, but I assure you, it is not your typical love triangle in the least bit.  I definitely liked how Pike sets it up.

There's a lot of action in Earthbound, which kept me glued to the book. There were many moments that put me on the edge of my seat and there's not doubt that Pike does a fantastic job drawing her readers in.  Pike is an awesome author (I loved Wings!) and there's a little bit of everything in Earthbound: secrets, action, special powers, drama, and romance.  

After the ending of Earthbound, I can't wait to continue with this series.  Also, stop by again on August 5th, because I'm part of the Earthbound blog tour and will have a guest post from Aprilynne Pike all about her latest book.