Hope's Daughter (The Ambrosia Sequence, #1)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Hope's Daughter (The Ambrosia Sequence #1)

by Melanie Cusick-Jones (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 61 ratings · 51 reviews

Life should be simple for Cassie.

For the small population of Earth survivors who live on the Space Station Hope everything they do is planned and scheduled, down to the cyclical food menus, their roles in the station, even how many children they have.

Despite rigid controls directing her life, Cassie feels more out of synch than ever and worries she won’t find a place for...more

ebook, 389 pages

Published December 8th 2011 by Bookbaby (first published December 1st 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

best "eye" on the cover

133rd out of 442 books — 1,004 voters

The Broken Destiny by Carlyle Labuschagne

YA Debuts 2012

160th out of 418 books — 1,222 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 638)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 06, 2012 Rebecca ♥ Ash, Jem, Warner ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of YA romance and Dystopians

Shelves: dystopian, sci-fi, young-adult, ebook, romance, memorable-men, reviewed, favourites, arcs-giveaways

This review is also published on http://www.thoughtsandroses.blogspot.com.

This book was an extremely pleasant surprise. It was wonderful! It started out calm and sweet, with beautiful prose and a pleasure tone. In that respect it reminded me of Matched (which I loved by the way). But it didnt take me long, by the time I started the second chapter, to realize that this was not Matched. This was its own unique story. I started to notice small things that didnt seem right. Like Cassie's strangely d...more This review is also published on http://www.thoughtsandroses.blogspot.com.

This book was an extremely pleasant surprise. It was wonderful! It started out calm and sweet, with beautiful prose and a pleasure tone. In that respect it reminded me of Matched (which I loved by the way). But it didnt take me long, by the time I started the second chapter, to realize that this was not Matched. This was its own unique story. I started to notice small things that didnt seem right. Like Cassie's strangely distant but extremely interested parents who questioned her every action. The tone quickly changed to something creepy and uneasy. There was something seriously wrong with Cassie's world.

Hope's Daughter is set in the distant future, after Earth was destroyed by global warming, and the few surviving humans live on a space station named Hope. The population is separated for living quarters according to family situation. Family Quarter for families with children, Married Quarter for those without children, and Retired Quarter for those whose children are married. As Cassie approaches the age where marriage is a possibility, she realizes others around her are beginning to disappear. They have "eloped" to the Married Quarter without a word or a good-bye. She knows this is the way it has always been, but now that it is happening to her friends she realizes how wrong it is. Then she meets Balik. After the barcode on her and Balik's wrists turn from black to red, they have no idea what caused it, but they know what it means. They're next.

For a good three quarters of this book my mind was racing, trying to make sense of the strange series of events. A constant mystery and sense of impending danger. I could not put it down! And Balik was great. At first I just saw that he was withdrawn and quiet, but thoughtful and sweet. A nice combo, but its been done before. But I eventually realized that I had misjudged him. I was really impressed with him as he opened up to Cassie, and I realized that the version of him I saw at first, was just the version he showed the public to hide the fact that he was dissatisfied with his world. Balik was willing to ask Cassie challenging questions, forcing her to look at the world differently. He is strong and confident, and physically capable, when no one else in their world is. These qualities are even more impressive when you consider their upbringing on the station. Balik was pretty much a godsend, just what Cassie needed to get her through the hard times ahead, to make her the person she needed to be, and just what I needed too. ;)

And the ending did not disappoint. I knew it would be a make or break ending, after all the questions that were raised. But thankfully all was explained in an interesting, if not entirely shocking, way. The immediate threat was removed and I was pleased with the ending, but it left just enough hanging to make me want to come back for more. I am very much looking forward to The Rainbow Maker's Tale (the events of Hope's Daughter from Balik's POV) and the sequel, Outlanders!(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sci-fi and dystopia lovers

Recommended to Emily by: Melanie Cusick-Jones

Shelves: dystopia, owned, 2012

Hello everyone, I was sent a copy of this book from the author to review. I got sent it a while ago so sorry for the delay but I have been unusually busy. So many books so little time.Anyway Hope's Daughter is a dystopia/sci-fi novel but don't be put of by the genre. Usually when someone says the word sci-fi I automatically picture Star Wars or something like that but this is completely different. Hope's Daughter follows a young girl called Cassie as she lives her "normal" life in a perfect worl...more Hello everyone, I was sent a copy of this book from the author to review. I got sent it a while ago so sorry for the delay but I have been unusually busy. So many books so little time. Anyway Hope's Daughter is a dystopia/sci-fi novel but don't be put of by the genre. Usually when someone says the word sci-fi I automatically picture Star Wars or something like that but this is completely different. Hope's Daughter follows a young girl called Cassie as she lives her "normal" life in a perfect world. She has always believed everything she was told was true, that is until she meets Balik. When I say meets I mean they've known each other a long time but never properly. Balik has doubts about their supposedly perfect world, but who will be right?
Here's the synopsis:

"Life should be simple for Cassie.
For the small population of Earth survivors who live on the Space Station Hope everything they do is planned and scheduled, down to the cyclical food menus, their roles in the station, even how many children they have. Despite rigid controls directing her life, Cassie feels more out of synch than ever and worries she won’t find a place for herself within the station community. Perhaps that’s because she’s hearing things inside her head that can’t possibly be real. Or maybe it’s the regular elopements of her peers, heading off to a romantic future in the Married Quarter of the space station, whilst she’s never even been attracted to a boy – no matter how hard her best friend Ami pushes them at her. Then there are the odd questions her work placement partner Balik keeps raising. His questions are just as troubling for her as his distracting smiles and eyes that seem to see inside her. As Cassie draws closer to Balik she finds that everything else in her life begins to shift. He tells her things that call into question the system they live within. She can't believe he is right, but at the same time she finds it hard to deny the sincerity of his ideas. Could there be a connection between Cassie’s problems and Balik’s questions? The truth will drag them both to a terrifying and deadly conclusion beyond anything they could have imagined."

Personally I really enjoyed this book, it was completely different to anything I had read before. It was really interesting and the storyline really raised many questions in my head which I got the answers to later on in the book. It's one of those books that you try and work out before the ending. I admit halfway through I thought I had worked it out but when I got to the end I realised I was partly right but the true depth of the story I had no clue about. I would recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy intriguing, complicated stories. I would rate this book 4.6/5 stars.
If you want me to review your book or want to do a guest review don't hesitate to contact me.
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Originally posted at: www.emily-confessionsofabookaholic.bl...(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2012 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, review-request, 2012-reads

My review is up!

As my first author-letter request, this was a blast! I am always a fan of reading Dystopian novels. The twists are unpredictable and strong. I had read this really really fast not knowing I haven’t marked it as Currently-Reading on Goodreads. Four stars doesn’t really meant I hate the book, No way! Cassie is such a strong heroine but sometimes she’s confused and doesn’t know which is which. I expected that this book has many point of views, but I heard that the next book will do...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Sarah (TotalTeenFiction) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, young-adult, review-copy, on-the-blog, started-series-trilogy

Full review posted here on TotalTeenFiction

I was very kindly sent a copy of this book to review after expressing interest in the book to the author. I love dytopian/post-apocalyptic YA novels so Hope's Daughter really appealed to me. The book tells the story of Cassie, who has spent all of her live on the space ship SS Hope. When she starts a work placement she finds herself spending more and more time with Balik, and together they begin to discover more about the strange, isolated life they've...more Full review posted here on TotalTeenFiction

I was very kindly sent a copy of this book to review after expressing interest in the book to the author. I love dytopian/post-apocalyptic YA novels so Hope's Daughter really appealed to me. The book tells the story of Cassie, who has spent all of her live on the space ship SS Hope. When she starts a work placement she finds herself spending more and more time with Balik, and together they begin to discover more about the strange, isolated life they've come to know.

I really liked the beginning of this book and the concept was fascinating. I loved the futuristic lifestyle of the space ship and the slightly creepy nature of Cassie's world. Everything is rigorously controlled, from their meal times to what their homes look like and you got this sense that something wasn't quite right. I was so wrapped up the whole idea of the ship and how it worked. It was brilliant. The mysteries throughout the book had me really intirigued and I couldn't wait to find out what exactly was going on.

The story focusses a lot on the relationship between Cassie and Balik. Cassie finds herself being drawn to him despite never having spoken much to him in the time they've been at school. I thought Balik was a really interesting character and he balanced out Cassie perfectly. He's all logic and science whereas she struggles to question the things around her. I did have some problems with their relationship, the main one being that there was far too much flirting! The spend so long in each others' company just talking as Cassie tries to figure out her feelings for him. It just felt like they went around in circles for a bit.

There were a few other issues I had with the overall pacing. The beginning was fine and I was completely hooked, but towards the middle of the book some chapters felt quite slow when Cassie was trying to figure things out on her own. There were some moments where I had to wait a long time to find out something I'd wanted to know chapters ago. Whilst those bits dragged a bit I had the opposite problem towards the end of the book. There was a lot of information crammed in in a short space of time which could maybe have been revealed more slowly. I found myself a little confused at times.

I was won round by the ending though. When the reveals came it was totally not what I was expecting! I'm definitely going to check out the next book because I need to know what happens.

I'd recommend this book if you like all things dystopian/post-apocalyptic. Whilst felt a little slow in places, it's definitely a story worth sticking out til the end.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Sally-Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-sci-fi

This and my other reviews can be found at http://sally-annereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

I want to thank Melanie Cusick-Jones for giving me a copy of this book to review.

Cassie has always felt that she is the same as everyone else on the SS Hope until she talks to her class mate Balik and she feels that he is the only one who understands her, meanwhile teenagers are eloping without saying goodbye to their friends and while investigating this Cassie finds that she has a unique ability that could change...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: out-in-2011, asked-to-review, fantasy, romance, science-fiction, dystopia, favorites, series, series-i-need-to-finish

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: WOW! This book left me absolutely stunned. I had high expectations going into this one. I mean reread the synopsis and try telling me it didn't catch your attention. I read the synopsis and felt tingles running down my spine.

The second I started reading this one I was prepared to be disappointed, I was prepared to realize I had set...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Melanie Cusick-Jones added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: favorites

Obviously can't rate this as it's my book - but I'll share a little about it if that's OK.

I started writing Hope's Daughter in April 2009. I'd been reading a lot of sci-fi stuff at the time and had never written anything in that genre myself (I'd stuck to fantasy mainly before then - all unpublished), so I thought I'd give it a go, albeit in a 'lightly' sci-fi setting.

The main features of the story were set quite clearly in my head early on, but the actual events and some of the plots twists s...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2013 Robert Cherny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review of Hope’s Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones

This book was sent to me by the author for review. I read it in a single sitting. I enjoyed the book in spite of its flaws. I suspect that the flaws that concerned me will not bother its primary targeted reader.

Plot: Four Stars

Characterization: Four Stars

Technical Execution: Four Stars

Writing Style: Four stars.

This book is targeted at young adult readers and is appropriate for middle schoolers and older. It tells the story of a young girl caught i...more

like · see review

May 29, 2012 Pamela Todd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, dystopian, read-in-2012, romance, ya-mg

Hope’s Daughter took me totally by surprise. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but what I got was so, so much more.

The world Cassie lives in is totally different from ours. It is set in the future after Earth has been destroyed, and the surviving humans live on a space station called Hope. The story starts with Cassie as she is sitting her exams when a boy across the room catches her eye. She has known Balik for years, has noticed he is very reserved and doesn’t say much. Except today, when he...more Hope’s Daughter took me totally by surprise. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but what I got was so, so much more.

The world Cassie lives in is totally different from ours. It is set in the future after Earth has been destroyed, and the surviving humans live on a space station called Hope. The story starts with Cassie as she is sitting her exams when a boy across the room catches her eye. She has known Balik for years, has noticed he is very reserved and doesn’t say much. Except today, when he draws her into conversation and Cassie can’t help but take him all in.

Cassie and Balik are together for work placement and Cassie finds herself looking forward to the time they get to spend together. At first she doesn’t notice the subtle changes in her feelings, how Balik can seem to see straight inside her and his soft questions probe her mind. It seems the more time she spends with Balik, the more curious her parents become of him.

It isn’t until Cassie’s best friend elopes to the Married Quarter that she begins to really question what is going on around her…and if they dreams she has been having, and the voices she hears, are really true after all.

Hope’s Daughter had me on the edge of my seat from…oh, page two. I loved the way Cassie slowly fell for Balik, how it wasn’t a sudden eruption of feelings and instant love. The book is written in soft, dreamy prose that enchant the reader and lull them into a false sense of security. And then the author rips the rug out from under us.

In the best possible way, this book creeped the heck out of me. All the hairs on the back of my neck stuck up and I almost felt like I was being watched, that somehow I was being observed through my Kindle, my reactions recorded for data. Yes, I have a very active imagination. But also the author deserves one massive round of applause for making my imagination run away with itself.

This book had me constantly guessing what was going to happen next. It had more than enough plot twists and turns, and beautiful character development. I fell head over heels for these characters, and Balik, I simply adore you.

Read this book and love it. As far as YA dystopians go…it’s up there with Divergent. Seriously.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win this book from a giveaway. So thank you for giving me this book. :)

3.5 stars but I rounded up because the plot was very original. While I don’t normally read sci-fi, I do like YA dystopian. Hope’s Daughter was a combination of sci-fi and dystopian. The story is set in the future, when the earth was said to be destroyed, and all the humans lived at Space Station Hope. Here we meet Cassie, a teenager who’s still trying to find that place where she might fit in. She become...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nitty Gritty

Alright, now before I start I want to thank Melanie for sending me a free copy of Hope's Daughter to read and review! I am so glad she did, because Hope's Daughter was definitely a book I will never soon forget! ~ Okay, so Hope's Daughter is about a girl named Cassie who lives in a dystopian world set on a spaceship. She was raised to believe that Earth was destroyed and the only remaining survivors lived on SS Hope. She then meets Balik, a quiet and collected boy in her class who...more Nitty Gritty

Alright, now before I start I want to thank Melanie for sending me a free copy of Hope's Daughter to read and review! I am so glad she did, because Hope's Daughter was definitely a book I will never soon forget! ~ Okay, so Hope's Daughter is about a girl named Cassie who lives in a dystopian world set on a spaceship. She was raised to believe that Earth was destroyed and the only remaining survivors lived on SS Hope. She then meets Balik, a quiet and collected boy in her class who makes her start to question things going on in the spaceship, and why things are the way they are. Like, why is it that young people randomly disappear and 'elope'? Why does everyone have to take daily vitamins? And why is Cassie suddenly able to hear voices?

All of these questions unravel as the story progresses, and wow! It was so.. amazing! I honestly did not know how Melanie pulled this off so well, I would read a page and be completely stumped and wonder "There is no explanation of what just happened" And then bam! Melanie comes up with this amazing solution that just works, you know? It took me a while to really get into the book , which is the only reason I dropped the rating down to 4 stars, because- wow. This book really blew my mind. It honestly reminded me of The Host just a bit. (And you all should know how much I am in love with The Host.) I was just so intrigued and interested in the world Melanie created and I wanted more, and more and then I would realize it was 3 am and I seriously had to go to sleep. All of the events fit perfectly together and I never once wondered "What is going on?", or "How does that even happen..?" It was all just beautifully put together and I know I wouldn't have been able to pull a book like this off- ever. I loved all of the twists and turns and how it had me hanging on the edge of my seat, flipping pages like a mad woman!

Characters
C a s s i e : I really liked Cassie. She was one tough chick, thats for sure. All of the obstacles she had to go through and yet she still kept moving forward, because that's what she knew she had to do to survive. I also really admired the way she always fought for what she believed in and was very true to herself.
B a l i k : Oh, Balik. You are such a sweetie-pie. Okay, honestly though. Balik got my heart racing a few times. But there is more to him than just being man candy! He was so protective and loyal to Cassie, and always had her best interest in heart. He was a very strong person, physically and mentally. He really opened Cassie's eyes to the SS Hope, and wasn't afraid to question the system. And he loved Cassie so much, which was seriously the cutest thing ever. Sighhh ~~~
A m i : I adored Ami. She was super sweet and a really good friend to Cassie. I also thought the moments with her and Patrick were just darlin'.
J o e l : I loved Joel too. I was almost rooting for him at one point in the story. I'm loyal to Balik, swear ! But he was just cute and you could tell her really was starting to fall for Cassie.

In all
I thought this book was great! It started off a bit slow but then the plot started to kick in and I was hooked! It became very fast paced, and I honestly could find myself unable to guess what happens next- which is hard to find in a book! It was full of so many surprises and twists and I just could not believe how well Melanie pulled everything off. It was such a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Sci-Fi dystopian book! [With some sizzlin' romance ;D]

This review is also featured on my blog :
http://cheerfulreviews.blogspot.com/2...(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2012 Rachel Carr rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started this book right in the middle of a crazy, busy, overloaded moment of my life. Oh, who am I kidding? That’s every.single.day. But, as soon as I read lovely Melanie’s email, I knew I wanted to make time for her book. And I’m glad I did.

It’s quite long, so be forewarned — this isn’t a dystopian/romance/sci-fi one can read in three hours. But stick with it, readers. It’s good.

Melanie employs her character development carefully. You know who Cassie is, why she’s thinking this or that, and y...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Charles rated it 2 of 5 stars

Also posted at http://variousaltitudes.wordpress.com

This novel is good in its ability to not say anything. Throughout the first twenty pages alone, there is a mass of adverbs that leaves you wondering what the protagonist is talking about. Personally, I detest adverbs, if you cannot think of a strong enough verb I don’t want to know about it. Adverbs should be used sparingly, but in Hope’s Daughter they are used to the point that you’re confused about what’s happening.

An example of this is the l...more

like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Beza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-me, romance, sci-fi

This book was given to me by the author, Melanie Cusick-Jones, in exchange for an honest review.
Hope's Daughter is a Sc-fi dystopia with a surprisingly sweet romance.The main character Cassie lives in a space station with the last of Earth's survivors. Cassie is like any other teenager in the station except for the fact that she hears voices in her head. She hides this fact becasue she thinks somethingis wrong with her, however when she meets Balik he helps open her eyes and makes her realize it...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Sienna Logan rated it 4 of 5 stars

To see more of my reviews visit http://losttobooks.blogspot.co.uk

Not usually being a person interested by the Sci-fi/dystopia genres I was unsure as to what I was getting myself into when I agreed to read and review this book. However I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

For me the book started off a bit slow and I was a bit apprehensive, due to the sci-fi nature of it being set of the space ship Hope , as I assumed it was going to be filled with technical and complex...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't really know what to expect going into this. I'm not usually a huge fan of the Sci Fi genre, but I am a big fan of the Dystopian genre and when done right sometimes the two genres meld together really well. Hope's Daughter was one of these times.

The pacing of the story was great, it didn't drag and it didn't rush events it had a nice gradual build that made the story that much more believable. I liked how Melanie built up the environment of the space station, you really get a sense of wh...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 08, 2012 Jona Romulo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book

WOW! This is definitely a very wonderful and unique book, a dystopian/sci-fi in particular. It felt like a breather for me, with all those dystopian books coming out nowadays. Some of them are tragic, and terrifying at times. But this book is one of a kind! It started off slow, but not in a negative way, the start kept me sitting and glued to my seat. This week has been busy for me because of the holidays, but I made sure that I get to read two or three chapters each day. It was very interesting...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Chris The Story Reading Ape rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reading-challenge, books-reviewed

1st December 2011, this book was published.

From 13th January 2013, articles have been published by several News Agencies about NASA investing $17.8 million on an inflatable module to be installed on the International Space Station, to test and demonstrate its suitability for use in building a privately funded Space Station / Hotel / Habitat, including pictures of what it could look like.

The first module is due for launch summer of 2015.

Have NASA & Financial Movers & Shakers read and been...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Thatismahogany! rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Hope's Daughter is about Cassie, a young adult who just finished school, who lives her life aboard the space station, Hope. Cassie is going through training for work, as her relationship with Balik grows. As Balik shares his view point with Cassie, she starts to doubt the system aboard Hope. But the doubts they discuss is nothing compared to the truth they are about to discover. Soon every aspect of their life is turned upside down and everything you know as the reader isnt what it seems. An...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Having never read any sci-fi before I wasnt sure if I would enjoy Hope's Daughter. I'm pleased to say that I really did enjoy it and couldn't tear myself away from it towards the end. I wasn't completly hooked from the begining, finding the answer to the exam question too technical and wanting to skim read them. But as I found out more about Cassie and as she found out more about Balik I really got into the book, although part of me wanted the story to carry on like they thought the process woul...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 25, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: march-read-challenge

This was a really unique and different spin on the sci-fi dystopian. It was a bit sluggish on the get-go, but once the story picked up I really enjoyed it. The space station concept wasn't necessarily original, but the meaning behind it and the environment that the people lived in was definitely something new.

Cassie lives on Space Staton Hope, where everything is cookie-cutter identical throughout. The people live in zones, in apartments that all look the same, where everyone takes the same vit...more This was a really unique and different spin on the sci-fi dystopian. It was a bit sluggish on the get-go, but once the story picked up I really enjoyed it. The space station concept wasn't necessarily original, but the meaning behind it and the environment that the people lived in was definitely something new.

Cassie lives on Space Staton Hope, where everything is cookie-cutter identical throughout. The people live in zones, in apartments that all look the same, where everyone takes the same vitamins, and every family has just one child. Families live together until the children grow up and fall in love, at which point they move on and 'elope' to the Married Quarter, while the parents move to the Retirement Quarter. Cassie doesn't think to question any of this until a shy classmate of hers named Balik suddenly decides to open up to her on their last day of studies. He plants a seed of doubt in her mind about what they could be missing in the sheltered, monitored life on the space station. As they spend more time together, Balik opens Cassie's eyes to some questionable discoveries he's made, while Cassie herself tries to come to grips with her strange ability to hear people's thoughts. Could there be something behind the secrets and lies, and can Cassie use her ability to learn more about the space station?....

I wasn't sure what to think of Cassie at first. Much of the first chapters were crammed full of her thoughts, primarily, and it was a lot of her observations and self-doubt. She was confused about what to do for her placement, feeling like she wasn't going to fit in anywhere. Her parents were acting oddly, which didn't help her situation. I was relieved when the placements had her working with Balik, because I loved his character. I was drawn to him right away, I liked his deep thoughts and curiosity with what was going on around them. Cassie was suddenly much more interesting when they got to interact and find out what they meant to each other. I loved the romance between them, it was realistically slow to develop but kept progressing despite all of the uncertainty around them.

As the story developed and Balik revealed how much he had discovered about their 'world', I couldn't wait to figure out what was behind all the monitoring and odd behavior. I guessed part of what was behind it pretty early on, but I definitely wasn't expecting the full reveal. It was a disturbing but original plot twist, and I loved it! The ending was great, I love the idea that there's hope there but Cassie now has some serious hurdles to get through in her future. I'm excited to see what happens next!!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Roda rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this book. And I'm so glad i did because i really enjoyed it and it completely shocked and surprised me. Usually I eventually start to put the pieces together as I get closer to the end, but that was certainly not the case here. Anytime anything was revealed, instead of me figuring everything out and being bored, I became more increasingly confused and invested in the story. I connected with the characters, I like Cassie a lot and I absolutely love Bali...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 Elissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: epub-pdf, characters-with-superpowers, dystopian, most-unexpected-ending, romance, will-review-in-the-future, young-adult

Thank you to Melanie Cusick-Jones for the free copy of this book!!

"But it was better to be free in the unknown than enslaved in the familiar and false..."

And so starts Hope's Daughter, a dystopian sci-fi set on the SS Hope. Now, while I am a fan of dystopians, I have to confess that I don't particularly care for sci-fi. Or science in general, really. From chemistry to biology, science just isn't my thing, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. I made an exception, however, for Hope's Daught...more Thank you to Melanie Cusick-Jones for the free copy of this book!!

"But it was better to be free in the unknown than enslaved in the familiar and false..."

And so starts Hope's Daughter, a dystopian sci-fi set on the SS Hope. Now, while I am a fan of dystopians, I have to confess that I don't particularly care for sci-fi. Or science in general, really. From chemistry to biology, science just isn't my thing, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. I made an exception, however, for Hope's Daughter, partially because it was free, but also because it sounded interesting.

Interesting it was. Even though it was sci-fi, I didn't feel confused or bored. The author explained all the details of her world and how everything worked really well, and I actually really liked the storyline, Cassie's love interest, Balik, and the ending. Not to give anything away, but I really liked the ending. Her story wasn't predictable either. I discovered right along with Cassie what was going on, and I didn't say a third of the way through the book, "This is going to happen, and then this, and then she's going to find out this, and then she's going to do this." I was utterly thrown by the ending (in a good way). And praise to Melanie Cusick-Jones for writing a love-triangle free book. Thank God. I am sooooo sick of love triangles that if I even see mention of a possible love triangle in a synopsis, I won't read the book.

All that said, the writing was good, but not exactly stellar. You can tell that the author is still a beginning writer. I made this note in my ebook somewhere in about the first half of the book-

  ""More editing would have produced a better result- there is an overuse of adverbs ending in -ly. "I jumped slightly," "I thought sarcastically," "feeling slightly uncomfortable," that weigh down the sentences and make the words lose their force. These words could be deleted and, not only would they have no negative affect, but would make the writing stronger, tighter, and more vibrant."

All the little adverbs annoyed the heck out of me. And another thing, she never used the word "said." It was always, "He explained," or "I exclaimed." The writer rarely used the word "said" when it would have been the best choice. "Said" is like "the" or "and"; it disappears. However, using expressive verbs like "explained," "exclaimed," "shrieked," all the time are distracting and tiresome. How are the readers supposed to know the difference between an intense seen and a normal one? Not trying to be mean, just constructively critical.

Beyond that, there were grammar mistakes and the sentences were often wordy. I'm not saying that it was a bad book. I'm just saying it could have been better with more crafting. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 20, 2012 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-dystopian

I really enjoyed this book offered to me by the author through Making Connections YA on Goodreads. What starts out as a story about kids on a space station after the demise of Earth quickly turns into something very different! The characters are well formed, especially Balik, and the story moves very quickly. My only (very small) complaint would be that the female protagonist, Cassie, is a little weepy. Granted, her situation is more than enough to overwhelm anyone, but she is supposed to be the...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Elsa Carrion rated it 4 of 5 stars

Title: Hope’s Daughter
Author: Melanie Cusick-Jones
Format: eBook (about 389 pgs according to GR)
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Fantasy, Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Romance

Holy guacamole!!! I could not wait to write the review on this one. Yes the ending was amazing! I loved it! But I didn’t love it in the beginning.

Cassie, Balik and the rest of the teenagers thought they where very lucky to live on the SS Hope. They thought that they were the last of the human race. They thought that their parents were v...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story is beautiful.

I will admit the first chapter was confusing and it didnt draw me in but the story is so sad , romantic and lovely all at the same time, it made up for it.

There is a mystery on the SS Hope and you as the reader are sucked in , you are constantly trying to figure it out. You become Cassie. You never stop thinking.
I didn't think i would enjoy this but this story is scary relastic. I can honestly believe this is happening somewhere. It is sligthly sci-fi story with a romant...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Frances Savage rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bought this book on Amazon, I love reading books where you can really get into the characters and are left wanting more, wanting to know what they are doing next and what the future holds for them. The best books to me are the ones that draw you into the story and you feel like your there living it with them and this book certainly does that. I got halfway through the book and got to a point where I didn't want to put it down. I love the characters of Cassie and Balik how you feel the friendship...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Pauline rated it 5 of 5 stars

My review in French: http://featherandink.blogspot.fr/2012...

Fantastic! Once again, I'd like to thank the author for sending me Hope's Daughter for review. I am really honored.

Besides, I couldn't be more thrilled since I enjoyed it a whole lot! It is written perfectly. Since the characters are fairly smart (REALLY SMART), I couldn't imagine it being otherwise. The background story makes a lot of sense at the beggining so, obviously, you take it seriously from the get go. I was like: wow, this is...more

1 like · like · see review

May 07, 2012 Ruty B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, from-the-author, dystopia, for-review, e-book, romance, young-adult

(I recieved this book from the author in exchenge of an honest review)

“What if the world as you knew it, wasn’t what you thought it was?”
Cassie and Balik start to question the world they live. This will only lead them into the discover of a terrifying truth.

From the cover and the prologue, I was dragged into this amazing story. Not only a well argumented dystopia but also a story about love, self-discovered, survival, and above all humanity. About those things that makes us who we are. I couldn’...more (I recieved this book from the author in exchenge of an honest review)

“What if the world as you knew it, wasn’t what you thought it was?”
Cassie and Balik start to question the world they live. This will only lead them into the discover of a terrifying truth.

From the cover and the prologue, I was dragged into this amazing story. Not only a well argumented dystopia but also a story about love, self-discovered, survival, and above all humanity. About those things that makes us who we are. I couldn’t put it down and I wanted to know what’s next as I continued reading.

The life in Hope’s Station is planned from the foods to the behavior expected from the population. Anything that not goes according to these is an anomaly and as such it won’t be a good thing.

Cassie is one of those great female characters you love from the beginning. But unlike other female characters, she is very strong and determined from the start. She discovered some facets of her personality through the book but it’s not like she was totally naïve before anything happened. Since the start it was easy to relate with Cassie and the way she feels about her role in the station. How she feel out of place and her worries about her future are something anyone can understand. And as the story evolves you really feel you know her and want to join her along the way.

Balik… what to say about him? HE IS SO SEXY. And he is a great character. A fantastic male partner to Cassie, that complement her perfectly. All about him is perfect, how he feels about Cassie, his curiosity, his temperament and how he sees the world.

The action develops in the perfect amount to keep you wanting for more. Every chapter brings a little bit more of the story and adds a little more to the anxiety that was growing inside me.
The last few chapters managed to describe what need to be explained and surprised me to the point that I was speechless.

This is an excellent book. The kind of book that makes you wonder a lot of things and makes you experience a roll-coaster of emotions as you read it. An original dystopia with a few twists, that will keep you wanting for the sequel.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 19, 2012 Heven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-arc-new-releases

I received this as a review from the author in December, and unfortunately I have just gotten around to reading it. The story takes place on Space Station Hope, where the main character Cassie finds an unlikely friend in Balik. Cassie has known Balik for several years, however she never “officially” met Balik until the day of their final exam.
Cassie finds herself going through the motions of what is her life, slowly learning what is expected of her to become a viable part of the Space Station....more

2 likes · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 21 22 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
♥!The Young Adult...: Melanie Cusick-Jones	26	260	Dec 23, 2012 10:01pm
Bookaholic Anonymous: Hope's Daughter - RATE IT!	3	16	Nov 05, 2012 01:09pm
Bookaholic Anonymous: Hope's Daughter - What Do You Think of the Cover?	13	17	Oct 16, 2012 12:53pm
Goodreads Librari...: The Ambrosia Sequence has no series page	3	146	Oct 06, 2012 09:36am
If you liked this book, would you like a chance to name a new character in the sequel?	6	9	Sep 23, 2012 11:46pm
Books, Blogs, Aut...: Our Group Read: Hope's Daughter	11	23	Mar 09, 2012 10:24am
Creative Reviews: Looking for reviewers for a (lightly sci-fi) YA novel	7	26	Dec 20, 2011 11:20am

Genres

Science Fiction > Dystopia

11 users

Young Adult

11 users

Science Fiction

9 users

Romance

8 users

Fantasy

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Melanie Cusick-Jones

After graduating from The University of Sheffield with an English Literature Masters in 2003, Melanie has been writing fiction - time permitting - ever since.

The Ambrosia Sequence (started in 2008) and The Elementals (begun in 2004) are both ongoing, extended projects each containing several novels, aimed primarily at young adults and hover somewhere in the middle of sci-fi, futuristic and fantasy...more

More about Melanie Cusick-Jones...

Books by Melanie Cusick-Jones

Taking Flight (The Ambrosia Sequence, #1 - Missing Moment)

The Rainbow Maker's Tale (The Ambrosia Sequence, #1.5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Hope's Daughter

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Hope's Daughter

“It’s shocking to me that boys are where your thoughts are focused at this time in the morning, so unlike you.”
Ami laughed off my sarcasm. “No need to be so grumpy, just get some make-up on those bags and you’ll be fine.”
“Sure, sure,” I agreed without enthusiasm.
“Oh! I know what I wanted to tell you – you’ll never guess who Thomas is chasing after now…”
Hmmm, never guess or can’t be bothered to guess – it was a hard call. I yawned again, glancing at the bed, which was inviting me to clamber back inside and pull the sheet over my head. So tempting, but not practical.” — 3 people liked it

“Oh! I know what I wanted to tell you – you’ll never guess who Thomas is chasing after now…”

Hmmm, never guess or can’t be bothered to guess – it was a hard call. I yawned again, glancing at the bed, which was inviting me to clamber back inside and pull the sheet over my head. So tempting, but not practical.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Hope's Daughter
avg rating	preview: Hope's Daughter Goodreads rating: 4.07 (61 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13249699-hope-s-daughter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327144033l/13249699.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13249699-hope-s-daughter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones[/url]

Hope's Daughter (The Ambrosia Sequence #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website