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Timedance #1
Neptune's Tears
It is love against the odds. There is his word, and there is hers. How can they feel so connected?
It is 2218 and Zee McAdams is in her second year as a healing empath at a busy London hospital. When a mysterious young man arrives for treatment, Zee's hard won calm is pierced. She will need all her courage if she's to follow her heart.
Especially when David reveals a devastating secret.
It is 2218 and Zee McAdams is in her second year as a healing empath at a busy London hospital. When a mysterious young man arrives for treatment, Zee's hard won calm is pierced. She will need all her courage if she's to follow her heart.
Especially when David reveals a devastating secret.
218 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2012
6 people are currently reading
1041 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
June 12, 2013
This is going to be one of those rare times where my rating isn't very indicative of my personal feelings of the quality of a novel. (Savor this moment because I don't see it happening too often.) Here's the thing about Neptune's Tears: if you are a veteran Sci-Fi reader, chances are it will be lacking in complexity for you. However, if you are a noob to the genre or a younger reader or a reluctant reader, this novel may be perfect for you. Unfortunately, I don't fall in the latter category and I don't think I'm a part of the target audience for this book, but I can still see a lot of redeemable qualities for Neptune's Tears.
The Good:
- The writing isn't bad at all. Even though I mentioned I think this book would be great for younger readers, I didn't ever feel like Waggoner was talking down to the reader. This was especially evident with the science she used to set her world up and the descriptions. The world is described in a clear manner without info-dumping on the reader.
-Neptune's Tears features a diverse group of characters. One thing I really love is when a book has other nationalities or cultures present. So many times in YA lit it's the usual all white cast with the occasional token character. But this book takes place in London and has a variety of nationalities present. In fact, the main character even travels to Indonesia later in the book. It's apparent that Waggoner wanted her book to be more of an accurate representation of the world in the future, and the best way to do that was to actually include the rest of the world.
- The plot moved along swiftly and the twist wasn't predictable. Looking back at my reading experience, I'm a little surprised that I didn't see the plot twist. There were a few times when I wanted to DNF Neptune's Tears, but I was very interested in seeing what David's big secret was, so that kept me reading until the end.
What didn't work out for me:
- The pacing was entirely too fast. There were times when I long stretches of time had passed by, but I didn't realize it because the story moved at such a rapid pace. This caused the most issues with the romance. One minute Zee and David are meeting and the next they are falling in love. At first, I thought it was insta-love and I HATE insta-love 99% of the time, but then I realized a few months had gone by later. I felt like the book could have used better transitioning and been smoothed out more in that department. Also because the pacing was so fast, there were pages where it should have been interesting but weren't because the scene felt like it was stuck on a weird Fast Forward type setting. It was like I was skim reading a book without skimming. That, in turn, led to boredom.
- The world building wasn't very complex. This is a personal preference, but in order for me to be fully sucked into a world, I need a lot more details. Neptune's Tears gives the reader the basics, but I don't feel it fully tapped into its potential. I would have liked more info on what it meant for Zee to be an Empath. How did this skill emerge in the future world? (Speaking of the future world, I would have like more info on that in general.) If falling in love was so discouraged if a person was an Empath because it negatively affected their job, why was Zee and David's relationship seemingly the exception? There was so much that was left unsaid and the author generally stuck to things that only pertained to Zee. And that would probably be fine for some readers, but I require a little more.
- I couldn't relate to the characters. I'm not sure what it was, but these characters did nothing for me. I think this might go hand in hand with things not being as fleshed out as I usually prefer, the characters included. Everything was strictly on a need to know basis as it pertained directly to the story and plot with very little wiggle room. I never really felt I got a good sense on who Zee was as a person. What were her likes besides her job and David? What did she like to do for fun? For me, there was no real substance. There were simply these characters and they live in this world and, oh hey, here is the plot. Bam, wham, thank you, Sam.
The bottom line? I really believe this novel could have used an extra 100-150 more pages and if things had been more detailed, I could have really loved this one. That being said, I do think Neptune's Tears would be perfect for reluctant readers. It's short, has a decent plot and not overly complex.
ARC was provided by the publisher. Thank you!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
The Good:
- The writing isn't bad at all. Even though I mentioned I think this book would be great for younger readers, I didn't ever feel like Waggoner was talking down to the reader. This was especially evident with the science she used to set her world up and the descriptions. The world is described in a clear manner without info-dumping on the reader.
-Neptune's Tears features a diverse group of characters. One thing I really love is when a book has other nationalities or cultures present. So many times in YA lit it's the usual all white cast with the occasional token character. But this book takes place in London and has a variety of nationalities present. In fact, the main character even travels to Indonesia later in the book. It's apparent that Waggoner wanted her book to be more of an accurate representation of the world in the future, and the best way to do that was to actually include the rest of the world.
- The plot moved along swiftly and the twist wasn't predictable. Looking back at my reading experience, I'm a little surprised that I didn't see the plot twist. There were a few times when I wanted to DNF Neptune's Tears, but I was very interested in seeing what David's big secret was, so that kept me reading until the end.
What didn't work out for me:
- The pacing was entirely too fast. There were times when I long stretches of time had passed by, but I didn't realize it because the story moved at such a rapid pace. This caused the most issues with the romance. One minute Zee and David are meeting and the next they are falling in love. At first, I thought it was insta-love and I HATE insta-love 99% of the time, but then I realized a few months had gone by later. I felt like the book could have used better transitioning and been smoothed out more in that department. Also because the pacing was so fast, there were pages where it should have been interesting but weren't because the scene felt like it was stuck on a weird Fast Forward type setting. It was like I was skim reading a book without skimming. That, in turn, led to boredom.
- The world building wasn't very complex. This is a personal preference, but in order for me to be fully sucked into a world, I need a lot more details. Neptune's Tears gives the reader the basics, but I don't feel it fully tapped into its potential. I would have liked more info on what it meant for Zee to be an Empath. How did this skill emerge in the future world? (Speaking of the future world, I would have like more info on that in general.) If falling in love was so discouraged if a person was an Empath because it negatively affected their job, why was Zee and David's relationship seemingly the exception? There was so much that was left unsaid and the author generally stuck to things that only pertained to Zee. And that would probably be fine for some readers, but I require a little more.
- I couldn't relate to the characters. I'm not sure what it was, but these characters did nothing for me. I think this might go hand in hand with things not being as fleshed out as I usually prefer, the characters included. Everything was strictly on a need to know basis as it pertained directly to the story and plot with very little wiggle room. I never really felt I got a good sense on who Zee was as a person. What were her likes besides her job and David? What did she like to do for fun? For me, there was no real substance. There were simply these characters and they live in this world and, oh hey, here is the plot. Bam, wham, thank you, Sam.
The bottom line? I really believe this novel could have used an extra 100-150 more pages and if things had been more detailed, I could have really loved this one. That being said, I do think Neptune's Tears would be perfect for reluctant readers. It's short, has a decent plot and not overly complex.
ARC was provided by the publisher. Thank you!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
August 9, 2012
You are probably going to love Neptune's Tears, if you kind of liked Singing the Dogstar Blues by Alison Goodman, but wished ...
- that the young adult scifi novel was not one of those damned stand-alones with a real ending
- that Mavkel was more human looking, had a hot, hot body and an 'Englisher' name like Paul or Oscar
- that Oscar-Mavkel's and Joss' heart-string-tucking friendship was replaced by a forbidden instant-and-forever-love that would swallow up at least half of the plot and the majority of the heroine's thoughts.
- that the young adult scifi novel was not one of those damned stand-alones with a real ending
- that Mavkel was more human looking, had a hot, hot body and an 'Englisher' name like Paul or Oscar
- that Oscar-Mavkel's and Joss' heart-string-tucking friendship was replaced by a forbidden instant-and-forever-love that would swallow up at least half of the plot and the majority of the heroine's thoughts.
July 27, 2014
Neptune's Tears is the start of Susan Waggoner's Timedance series which is set 200 years into the future. Zee is training as an empath and working at a London hospital where she helps patients heal using her abilities. She loves her job and enjoys helping people so the last thing she is looking for is a relationship, especially when falling in love could have a devastating effect on her powers. She meets David when he is injured and under her care in the hospital, although it is forbidden for her to get involved with a patient she finds herself unable to forget him even when he has been released to return home. As their paths keep crossing they fall naturally into a relationship but there is more than one obstacle in their path. The main one being that David is an alien and he is only on Earth for a limited time before he will have to return to his home world and leave Zee behind forever.
I found Neptune's Tears was a really fast paced and fun book to read, there was a lot I liked about the world that the author has created and I was fascinated by the idea of empaths who are able to heal people with their powers. I enjoyed reading about a future where no major disaster has taken place and the world hasn't fallen apart around our ears, it meant the author was able to include lots of cool technology without having an apocalyptic feel to the story. That doesn't mean lives are easy though and there are a group of anarchists who seem determined to cause terror amongst the population and they have quite terrifying weapons at hand to do it with.
I found the main characters very easy to like, Zee is an admirable and brave young woman and I enjoyed learning about her abilities. She spends a lot of time with one patient in particular and I really liked the grandmotherly role that Ellie played in the story. Often YA books don't have positive adult role models so it made a nice change to see that here. David is more of a mystery and we don't find out much about him until close to the end of the book but I still liked him and I wanted to dig deep and learn all his secrets.
Although there were a lot of things I liked about the story I do think there was room for improvement. This is a very short book and I really felt it could have been so much better if certain points had been expanded on further. I really wanted some background information on how some humans had gained empathic abilities, where did these powers come from? Why are only some humans effected? I just needed a bit more depth to the world building to make the story more believable. The other main issue was with the romance between Zee and David. I actually quite liked them as a couple but because their romance is given very little page time and we only find out about most of the dates they go on because Zee discusses them with Ellie. Seeing everything second hand like that made their relationship feel like a major case of instalove when in reality events played out over a time period of several months. I really would have liked to spend more time with them as a couple so that I could have felt more connected with them and invested in their relationship.
In spite of those problems I did enjoy reading Neptune's Tears and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next. There was always something happening and I seemed to fly through the book incredibly quickly. There is also an interesting twist towards the end that I can't wait to see play out in the sequel Starlight's Edge.
I found Neptune's Tears was a really fast paced and fun book to read, there was a lot I liked about the world that the author has created and I was fascinated by the idea of empaths who are able to heal people with their powers. I enjoyed reading about a future where no major disaster has taken place and the world hasn't fallen apart around our ears, it meant the author was able to include lots of cool technology without having an apocalyptic feel to the story. That doesn't mean lives are easy though and there are a group of anarchists who seem determined to cause terror amongst the population and they have quite terrifying weapons at hand to do it with.
I found the main characters very easy to like, Zee is an admirable and brave young woman and I enjoyed learning about her abilities. She spends a lot of time with one patient in particular and I really liked the grandmotherly role that Ellie played in the story. Often YA books don't have positive adult role models so it made a nice change to see that here. David is more of a mystery and we don't find out much about him until close to the end of the book but I still liked him and I wanted to dig deep and learn all his secrets.
Although there were a lot of things I liked about the story I do think there was room for improvement. This is a very short book and I really felt it could have been so much better if certain points had been expanded on further. I really wanted some background information on how some humans had gained empathic abilities, where did these powers come from? Why are only some humans effected? I just needed a bit more depth to the world building to make the story more believable. The other main issue was with the romance between Zee and David. I actually quite liked them as a couple but because their romance is given very little page time and we only find out about most of the dates they go on because Zee discusses them with Ellie. Seeing everything second hand like that made their relationship feel like a major case of instalove when in reality events played out over a time period of several months. I really would have liked to spend more time with them as a couple so that I could have felt more connected with them and invested in their relationship.
In spite of those problems I did enjoy reading Neptune's Tears and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next. There was always something happening and I seemed to fly through the book incredibly quickly. There is also an interesting twist towards the end that I can't wait to see play out in the sequel Starlight's Edge.
August 26, 2012
Neptune's Tears is the first book in the Timedance series by Susan Waggoner. It's set in 2218 and follows a young empath in a London hospital. For such a quick read, the pages inside this book contain a lot. The story mainly revolves around Zee's career as an empath, her powers related to this and her romance with a boy, David, who one day appears at her hospital.
Zee was a very decent, relatable character. I liked what we got to know about her and particularly admired her for her love of her job and the care she wanted to give to the people around her. I thought Zee's job was really interesting and it was the best, most interesting part of the book for me - I look forward to learning more about her work in the next book. David, her love interest was mysterious and likeable even though we didn't really get to know all that much about him until the end. The thing that makes me somewhat undecided about the characters inside this book is that there is a huge case of instalove. As soon as Zee meets David in hospital, they are in love. I really dislike instalove, but I realise that in the case of this book, instant attraction and love seems to be somewhat the norm and part of being an empath. The characters also needed this instant love in order for the book to progress as quickly as it did. It wasn't a major problem for me as it's something to do with Zee being an empath, but I still couldn't bring myself to like or accept the fact - it felt too rushed.
As I mentioned, a lot of things happen in this book. I seemed to speed through this story - it's definitely easy to read and a page-turner and I think even the most reluctant reader would find it difficult not to rush through this one! There isn't a dull moment in this book, something is always happening or something being revealed. Though the pace was good as it left no time for boredom, I do think things could've been slowed down a little more so that they could be developed or elaborated upon. I don't want to include any spoilers, but the huge revelation at the end has made me very excited for the next book - the plot has huge potential.
Neptune's Tears has a lot of good ideas behind it - it's clear that Waggoner's imagination is certainly not dull! For the most part, this was a very enjoyable, captivating story and I am looking forward to reading all of the drama in the next instalment!
Zee was a very decent, relatable character. I liked what we got to know about her and particularly admired her for her love of her job and the care she wanted to give to the people around her. I thought Zee's job was really interesting and it was the best, most interesting part of the book for me - I look forward to learning more about her work in the next book. David, her love interest was mysterious and likeable even though we didn't really get to know all that much about him until the end. The thing that makes me somewhat undecided about the characters inside this book is that there is a huge case of instalove. As soon as Zee meets David in hospital, they are in love. I really dislike instalove, but I realise that in the case of this book, instant attraction and love seems to be somewhat the norm and part of being an empath. The characters also needed this instant love in order for the book to progress as quickly as it did. It wasn't a major problem for me as it's something to do with Zee being an empath, but I still couldn't bring myself to like or accept the fact - it felt too rushed.
As I mentioned, a lot of things happen in this book. I seemed to speed through this story - it's definitely easy to read and a page-turner and I think even the most reluctant reader would find it difficult not to rush through this one! There isn't a dull moment in this book, something is always happening or something being revealed. Though the pace was good as it left no time for boredom, I do think things could've been slowed down a little more so that they could be developed or elaborated upon. I don't want to include any spoilers, but the huge revelation at the end has made me very excited for the next book - the plot has huge potential.
Neptune's Tears has a lot of good ideas behind it - it's clear that Waggoner's imagination is certainly not dull! For the most part, this was a very enjoyable, captivating story and I am looking forward to reading all of the drama in the next instalment!
May 12, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: This was a Sci-fi set in a futuristic London, filled with romance, mystery, and forbidden love. It lacked action and the plot was a little boring.
Opening Sentence: Zee hesitated for the second it took the blue light to ?ash green, then passed through the arch and into the Accident & Emergency waiting room.
The Review:
Zee is a 17 year old girl that works as an empath. An empath works with sick people and with their minds they make a connection to the patient to see what is causing their pain. They have to concentrate and not have anything else on their minds to be able to make a good connection. Most empath’s try to not have any serious relationships because love is a big distraction and can make them loose focus very easily. Zee has never been in love before, and she is glad for it. She loves her job and wants to be the best, but then she meets David.
Zee has found other boys cute, but she has never felt the attraction that she feels for David before. She soon discovers that David is a member of the mysterious alien race that has been on earth for a time. As soon as things start to heat up between the two, David starts to pull away from Zee. Aliens aren’t suppose to date the humans and David has secrets that he can’t tell Zee. Zee has really fallen for David and she is willing to go to great lengths to make sure they end up together even if the odds aren’t in their favor.
Zee is the protagonist in the book and we get to read the book from her point of view. She is a sweet girl and she really cares about people. She takes her job very serious and she really wants to help others in whatever way she can. After meeting David she becomes a little obsessed with him and her job starts to suffer because of it. I felt that Zee was immature and at times her voice was a little annoying. She had a slightly whiny attitude and she was a frustrating character most of the time. I really couldn’t connect with Zee and I found myself not really liking her as a character.
David is a hot boy from the planet Omura. He has been on earth for a few years now studying what makes humans happy and their tendencies. When he meets Zee he mistakes her for a member of his own race because she has red hair. He seems to really care about Zee as he gets to know her, but he knows that them being together is dangerous for both of them. He has some secrets and to protect Zee he tries to push her away. I didn’t mind David but I wanted him to sound more swoon worthy. I wanted to fall in love with him like Zee did, but I just didn’t. I think if there had been a better description of him I might have. I also felt that the romance between the two was really lacking.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. There really wasn’t much that happened plot wise and the romance, which is a huge part of the story, was just mediocre. I didn’t really love any of the characters, but I think if they had been more developed I may have come to like them more. I felt that the writing could have been much better as well; it needed to be more descriptive. I did like the idea that the author purposed but it just wasn’t delivered very well. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but I don’t know how interested I would be in reading the sequel. I wouldn’t really recommend this book, but if the story sounds intriguing to you give it a try, you might enjoy it more than I did.
Notable Scene:
Zee took a clearing breath and entered the room. The young man sitting in the cubicle wasn’t that much older than she was. Zee been trained to notice the small gestures that took place in the ?rst few minutes of an encounter, revealing the patient’s state of mind and openness to noninvasive healing. She got the impression that the young man had been rubbing a small metal bar against his forehead, but it disappeared into his pocket so swiftly she couldn’t be certain.
When he lifted his head, Zee felt a tug. Involuntarily personal attraction. A re?ex, like coughing when you walked into a dusty room. She’d felt it before with other patients and knew how to dismiss it. It was a sign, though, that Piper had created more than a tiny pinprick in her calm. She was determined to get it back.
“Hi,” she said, “I’m Zee.”
“I’m David Sutton, about to check out.” But instead of hopping off the hospital trolley, he stayed where he was. Everything about him seemed to stop, and the room ?oated into stillness, like a leaf or a feather settling to earth. For a long moment, he simply stared at her, and Zee allowed him to, without moving or closing her face to him.
It wasn’t easy to let someone look at you like that, but many patients seemed to need to. “Like someone taking a car for a road test,” their instructor had explained during training, “only you’re the car.” They’d laughed, but that didn’t make it easier. Five in her class had washed out because they could not be looked at without posturing or ?dgeting. At ?rst, Zee had felt so naked standing before a patient she’d had to distract herself by making lists of song titles that started with certain letters of the alphabet, or by wondering why two- hundred- year old movies like Titanic were often better than the hologram remakes. Now that she was more con?dent, she’d begun to use these small capsules of time to begin building a healing bridge to the patient.
But that wasn’t happening to night. She was having trouble reestablishing her calm and felt as naked as she had the ?rst time she’d been with a patient. No sooner had she dropped the foundations of the bridge into place and sent invisible blue vines twining through the air than they crumbled and vanished from her mind.
FTC Advisory: Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan provided me with a copy of Neptune’s Tears. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This was a Sci-fi set in a futuristic London, filled with romance, mystery, and forbidden love. It lacked action and the plot was a little boring.
Opening Sentence: Zee hesitated for the second it took the blue light to ?ash green, then passed through the arch and into the Accident & Emergency waiting room.
The Review:
Zee is a 17 year old girl that works as an empath. An empath works with sick people and with their minds they make a connection to the patient to see what is causing their pain. They have to concentrate and not have anything else on their minds to be able to make a good connection. Most empath’s try to not have any serious relationships because love is a big distraction and can make them loose focus very easily. Zee has never been in love before, and she is glad for it. She loves her job and wants to be the best, but then she meets David.
Zee has found other boys cute, but she has never felt the attraction that she feels for David before. She soon discovers that David is a member of the mysterious alien race that has been on earth for a time. As soon as things start to heat up between the two, David starts to pull away from Zee. Aliens aren’t suppose to date the humans and David has secrets that he can’t tell Zee. Zee has really fallen for David and she is willing to go to great lengths to make sure they end up together even if the odds aren’t in their favor.
Zee is the protagonist in the book and we get to read the book from her point of view. She is a sweet girl and she really cares about people. She takes her job very serious and she really wants to help others in whatever way she can. After meeting David she becomes a little obsessed with him and her job starts to suffer because of it. I felt that Zee was immature and at times her voice was a little annoying. She had a slightly whiny attitude and she was a frustrating character most of the time. I really couldn’t connect with Zee and I found myself not really liking her as a character.
David is a hot boy from the planet Omura. He has been on earth for a few years now studying what makes humans happy and their tendencies. When he meets Zee he mistakes her for a member of his own race because she has red hair. He seems to really care about Zee as he gets to know her, but he knows that them being together is dangerous for both of them. He has some secrets and to protect Zee he tries to push her away. I didn’t mind David but I wanted him to sound more swoon worthy. I wanted to fall in love with him like Zee did, but I just didn’t. I think if there had been a better description of him I might have. I also felt that the romance between the two was really lacking.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. There really wasn’t much that happened plot wise and the romance, which is a huge part of the story, was just mediocre. I didn’t really love any of the characters, but I think if they had been more developed I may have come to like them more. I felt that the writing could have been much better as well; it needed to be more descriptive. I did like the idea that the author purposed but it just wasn’t delivered very well. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but I don’t know how interested I would be in reading the sequel. I wouldn’t really recommend this book, but if the story sounds intriguing to you give it a try, you might enjoy it more than I did.
Notable Scene:
Zee took a clearing breath and entered the room. The young man sitting in the cubicle wasn’t that much older than she was. Zee been trained to notice the small gestures that took place in the ?rst few minutes of an encounter, revealing the patient’s state of mind and openness to noninvasive healing. She got the impression that the young man had been rubbing a small metal bar against his forehead, but it disappeared into his pocket so swiftly she couldn’t be certain.
When he lifted his head, Zee felt a tug. Involuntarily personal attraction. A re?ex, like coughing when you walked into a dusty room. She’d felt it before with other patients and knew how to dismiss it. It was a sign, though, that Piper had created more than a tiny pinprick in her calm. She was determined to get it back.
“Hi,” she said, “I’m Zee.”
“I’m David Sutton, about to check out.” But instead of hopping off the hospital trolley, he stayed where he was. Everything about him seemed to stop, and the room ?oated into stillness, like a leaf or a feather settling to earth. For a long moment, he simply stared at her, and Zee allowed him to, without moving or closing her face to him.
It wasn’t easy to let someone look at you like that, but many patients seemed to need to. “Like someone taking a car for a road test,” their instructor had explained during training, “only you’re the car.” They’d laughed, but that didn’t make it easier. Five in her class had washed out because they could not be looked at without posturing or ?dgeting. At ?rst, Zee had felt so naked standing before a patient she’d had to distract herself by making lists of song titles that started with certain letters of the alphabet, or by wondering why two- hundred- year old movies like Titanic were often better than the hologram remakes. Now that she was more con?dent, she’d begun to use these small capsules of time to begin building a healing bridge to the patient.
But that wasn’t happening to night. She was having trouble reestablishing her calm and felt as naked as she had the ?rst time she’d been with a patient. No sooner had she dropped the foundations of the bridge into place and sent invisible blue vines twining through the air than they crumbled and vanished from her mind.
FTC Advisory: Henry Holt and Co./Macmillan provided me with a copy of Neptune’s Tears. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
May 31, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5
September 21, 2013
**Review from http://books-anovelidea.blogspot.com/**
I'm disappointed, dear readers. I really had high hopes for this one, considering it was a sci-fi romance and involved aliens and empaths and whatnot, but my hopes were not fulfilled. There was a lot of potential, after all, it takes place on earth 100 years in the future. This would be the opportunity to let your imagination run wild, but it never really gets to that point.
Here's what I liked: I love the idea of empaths. Basically, in Waggoner's world, an empath is a person who works in the hospitals and feeds people different memories/emotions/scenarios in order to help the healing process. That's so freaking cool! Empaths have strong minds and read people's emotions, and I really wonder why this isn't a character type we see more in YA fiction. Ergo, that's a good base for a strong character (though that's not exactly what happened). I also really liked the idea of an alien invasion that wasn't destructive. The aliens (might I add that our love interest in an alien, because he so totally is), come to earth to learn about our cultures, literature, and art forms and I really appreciate seeing peaceful aliens for a change. Lastly, there were two scenes that really stood out for me. The first was a scene where our leading couple goes to the theater and sees a play that's done without gravity, then they get to partake in the anti-gravity fun. I really liked that scene because it was the biggest futuristic scene in the book; it's exactly what I expected from a futuristic story. The other scene was when Zee (our protagonist) was helping an Olympic swimmer give birth. The reason I loved this scene so much was because it really showed what Zee was capable of doing as an empath and the way she had control over her abilities.
And here's what I didn't like: The story itself was very over dramatic and maybe that's because it was so focused on the love story, that the rest of it didn't even matter. Now, I'm all about a good love story, but I couldn't get into this one. It seemed very shallow to me. I felt like there wasn't even development between the couple. It was simply: girl meets boy, they fall in love immediately (and really, they don't really even know each other), girl loses boy, drama ensues (lots and lots of useless drama), then boy makes a confession at the very end that caused me to laugh and not in a good way... There was a lot of other stuff going on in the story, and I really wish those other conflicts and events were the focus. There are anarchist attacks going on, I'd like to hear about that instead of a middle school feeling love story! It really seemed like it was going to take an exciting turn about 75% into the book, but that ended up being pushed aside for the romance aspect. Ugh. Sorry, I feel like I'm on a rant, but I promise I'll stop after this next point. In any writing class you'll ever take, your professor will say the words "show, don't tell". These are important words! I don't want to hear a summary about an important conversation, I want to see the characters getting mad, having emotions, and all that jazz. There was A LOT of summary and maybe that was the reason I didn't like this book. Rant over.
So those are my thoughts. All I wanted was a cool sci-fi book with romantic undertones and now I'm sad. Yes, there's a sequel in the future, but its very unlikely that I'll pick it up. Now, you guys might have a completely different opinion than I do, and that's totally okay. I'm never going to tell you guys not to read a book. But if you do read it, I'd love to hear what you think!
Sorry this post got a little rant-y, it happens. But, on the happier side, I'm doing a giveaway on Tumblr for my followers so make sure to check it out (http://books-anovelidea.tumblr.com/)! Until next week!
-Annie
I'm disappointed, dear readers. I really had high hopes for this one, considering it was a sci-fi romance and involved aliens and empaths and whatnot, but my hopes were not fulfilled. There was a lot of potential, after all, it takes place on earth 100 years in the future. This would be the opportunity to let your imagination run wild, but it never really gets to that point.
Here's what I liked: I love the idea of empaths. Basically, in Waggoner's world, an empath is a person who works in the hospitals and feeds people different memories/emotions/scenarios in order to help the healing process. That's so freaking cool! Empaths have strong minds and read people's emotions, and I really wonder why this isn't a character type we see more in YA fiction. Ergo, that's a good base for a strong character (though that's not exactly what happened). I also really liked the idea of an alien invasion that wasn't destructive. The aliens (might I add that our love interest in an alien, because he so totally is), come to earth to learn about our cultures, literature, and art forms and I really appreciate seeing peaceful aliens for a change. Lastly, there were two scenes that really stood out for me. The first was a scene where our leading couple goes to the theater and sees a play that's done without gravity, then they get to partake in the anti-gravity fun. I really liked that scene because it was the biggest futuristic scene in the book; it's exactly what I expected from a futuristic story. The other scene was when Zee (our protagonist) was helping an Olympic swimmer give birth. The reason I loved this scene so much was because it really showed what Zee was capable of doing as an empath and the way she had control over her abilities.
And here's what I didn't like: The story itself was very over dramatic and maybe that's because it was so focused on the love story, that the rest of it didn't even matter. Now, I'm all about a good love story, but I couldn't get into this one. It seemed very shallow to me. I felt like there wasn't even development between the couple. It was simply: girl meets boy, they fall in love immediately (and really, they don't really even know each other), girl loses boy, drama ensues (lots and lots of useless drama), then boy makes a confession at the very end that caused me to laugh and not in a good way... There was a lot of other stuff going on in the story, and I really wish those other conflicts and events were the focus. There are anarchist attacks going on, I'd like to hear about that instead of a middle school feeling love story! It really seemed like it was going to take an exciting turn about 75% into the book, but that ended up being pushed aside for the romance aspect. Ugh. Sorry, I feel like I'm on a rant, but I promise I'll stop after this next point. In any writing class you'll ever take, your professor will say the words "show, don't tell". These are important words! I don't want to hear a summary about an important conversation, I want to see the characters getting mad, having emotions, and all that jazz. There was A LOT of summary and maybe that was the reason I didn't like this book. Rant over.
So those are my thoughts. All I wanted was a cool sci-fi book with romantic undertones and now I'm sad. Yes, there's a sequel in the future, but its very unlikely that I'll pick it up. Now, you guys might have a completely different opinion than I do, and that's totally okay. I'm never going to tell you guys not to read a book. But if you do read it, I'd love to hear what you think!
Sorry this post got a little rant-y, it happens. But, on the happier side, I'm doing a giveaway on Tumblr for my followers so make sure to check it out (http://books-anovelidea.tumblr.com/)! Until next week!
-Annie
February 7, 2017
Set a couple of centuries in the future, this novel follows Zee who works as an empath in a hospital and her initially reluctant relationship with an alien. I found this difficult to get into, I didn't find the characters particularly fleshed out and it was a bit of a slog. Not for me.
August 9, 2013
It's always been hard for me to write a review for a book that I feel pretty neutral about. This is definitely the case for Neptune's Tears. It's not a bad book, but it's not mind-blowing either. I'm not a big sci-fi fan, but the summary of the story really caught my eye and the cover is absolutely glorious. I was sure I would love this--and to an extent I did, but I had several issues with the story that took away from my overall enjoyment.
Zee McAdams is an empath. She uses her ability to bring comfort to hospital patients. Her future in her career looks very bright, as she's close to becoming one of the greatest in her unit. As an empath, Zee is forbidden to fall in love. Love and other strong emotions can cause an empath to lose their focus and distract them from their patients. Therein enters David, the alien boy, that she immediately takes interest in. As the city of London begins to fall apart all around her and her empath side struggles to stabilize, Zee must decide where her future lies.
It's the romance that really killed me. I liked the characters, even if I didn't completely understand them and I wanted Zee and David together, but the insta-love was unnecessary. They seemed to be together for like two days and were already declaring love, but that may just be because of how short the novel is… The timeline is a bit sketchy and the pacing obscure, especially when compared to other novels of its genre. While the events that were unfolding were very original and captivating, it all happened too quickly. I don't usually ask for things to drag, but this book definitely needed some fleshing out. Had the author taken her time with the plot and written a couple hundred more pages, I think Neptune's Tears could've easily become one of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy novels. The depth is the major issue here. It felt like the author just skimmed the surface.
It's definitely a book that's hard to put down, though. Through all the negatives, I found that I finished the book in one sitting, in a couple of hours. The author composes a truly imaginative story and her writing style really accentuates that. I can't put my finger on what made it hook me in, but Waggoner did it well.
I like sci-fi, but generally the genre lies outside of my comfort zone. I tend to shy away from them, for fear that I won't understand it, or won't love the books as much as the general populace. What really got me about this book is that it is a sci-fi novel that isn't extremely complicated. It's an extremely easy and light read. Because of this, I believe the audience will vary in reader types. I know it won't always be well-received because of the lack of intricacy, but I think it makes for an entertaining read nonetheless.
The ending is extremely abrupt--so much so that I thought my ARC was missing some pages. It's disorienting and annoying because nothing feels settled at that point. I will definitely be continuing the series because based on the first book, I think the author has a lot of talent and I hope that the rest of the series will be as strangely addicting as Neptune's Tears was. This was a good book, that was a just bit short of being great.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review.
This review can be seen here on my blog as well.
Zee McAdams is an empath. She uses her ability to bring comfort to hospital patients. Her future in her career looks very bright, as she's close to becoming one of the greatest in her unit. As an empath, Zee is forbidden to fall in love. Love and other strong emotions can cause an empath to lose their focus and distract them from their patients. Therein enters David, the alien boy, that she immediately takes interest in. As the city of London begins to fall apart all around her and her empath side struggles to stabilize, Zee must decide where her future lies.
It's the romance that really killed me. I liked the characters, even if I didn't completely understand them and I wanted Zee and David together, but the insta-love was unnecessary. They seemed to be together for like two days and were already declaring love, but that may just be because of how short the novel is… The timeline is a bit sketchy and the pacing obscure, especially when compared to other novels of its genre. While the events that were unfolding were very original and captivating, it all happened too quickly. I don't usually ask for things to drag, but this book definitely needed some fleshing out. Had the author taken her time with the plot and written a couple hundred more pages, I think Neptune's Tears could've easily become one of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy novels. The depth is the major issue here. It felt like the author just skimmed the surface.
It's definitely a book that's hard to put down, though. Through all the negatives, I found that I finished the book in one sitting, in a couple of hours. The author composes a truly imaginative story and her writing style really accentuates that. I can't put my finger on what made it hook me in, but Waggoner did it well.
I like sci-fi, but generally the genre lies outside of my comfort zone. I tend to shy away from them, for fear that I won't understand it, or won't love the books as much as the general populace. What really got me about this book is that it is a sci-fi novel that isn't extremely complicated. It's an extremely easy and light read. Because of this, I believe the audience will vary in reader types. I know it won't always be well-received because of the lack of intricacy, but I think it makes for an entertaining read nonetheless.
The ending is extremely abrupt--so much so that I thought my ARC was missing some pages. It's disorienting and annoying because nothing feels settled at that point. I will definitely be continuing the series because based on the first book, I think the author has a lot of talent and I hope that the rest of the series will be as strangely addicting as Neptune's Tears was. This was a good book, that was a just bit short of being great.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review.
This review can be seen here on my blog as well.
November 9, 2012
This book is so different to anything I have read recently and I finished it in one sitting. It mixes elements of sci-fi, dystopia and paranormal, but I’d hesitate to give it any of those labels because the premise is so inventive.
Susan Waggoner’s London of 2218 is at once futuristic and yet reassuringly familiar. Medical science has extended human life-span considerably, Britain’s public transport problems have been resolved by the installation of a super-efficient vactrain (vacuum train) network and terrorists have invented horrifying shock-wave bombs, a silent, invisible weapon that destroys people’s internal organs. Oh, and humanoid aliens are visiting from the planet Omura. Yet (I was relieved to discover!), you can still buy Branston Pickle and Maltesers and browse second-hand bookshops. London is still a multi-cultural, buzzing city and residents escape for day trips to the seaside in Brighton. It was a joy to read something with familiar landmarks for a change. With her light touch Waggoner has created a believable futuristic setting, without getting bogged down in the sci-fi mechanics of it all. She has also steered clear of the trope of oppressive governments and uprisings we’ve seen so much of lately in YA dystopian fiction.
I found the central character Zee McAdams’s role as an empath particularly fascinating – she works in one of London’s hospitals, forming a mental bridge with patients and guiding them through pain management and healing. It is there that she meets David, a handsome and mysterious alien from Omura. Actually, he comes across as a bit geeky, with his obsession for learning about Earth’s culture, but in a cute way. Endearingly, Zee thinks she’s immune to falling in love – until it happens to her. Once ‘pierced’ by her attraction to David, she can never make it unhappen. But things aren’t going to be simple for our star-crossed lovers – Romeo and Juliet had it easy by comparison! Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, Zee and David do fall in love very suddenly, something I’ve always found irritatingly unrealistic in fiction (sorry Shakespeare!). However, because of they way ‘piercing’ is described (when empaths feel attraction for or fall in love with a patient, an involuntary and undesirable occurrence that impedes their work), in this case at least it seems more likely in the context.
Rapid romance aside, there are some unforgettable characters – I loved Zee’s friendship with her ageing patient Mrs Hart, and with her two girlfriends, feisty, independent Rana and sweet-natured Jasmine. And there is one corker of a twist right at the end that blows everything wide open. Be warned – you will want to read the sequel right away.
I also really like the author’s take on writing fiction, who says in her author bio on the Piccadilly Press website: ‘In my heart of hearts, I believe all stories happened somewhere and sometime. The writer’s job, like Zee’s, is to shut out daily distractions to describe that other reality.’
Susan Waggoner’s London of 2218 is at once futuristic and yet reassuringly familiar. Medical science has extended human life-span considerably, Britain’s public transport problems have been resolved by the installation of a super-efficient vactrain (vacuum train) network and terrorists have invented horrifying shock-wave bombs, a silent, invisible weapon that destroys people’s internal organs. Oh, and humanoid aliens are visiting from the planet Omura. Yet (I was relieved to discover!), you can still buy Branston Pickle and Maltesers and browse second-hand bookshops. London is still a multi-cultural, buzzing city and residents escape for day trips to the seaside in Brighton. It was a joy to read something with familiar landmarks for a change. With her light touch Waggoner has created a believable futuristic setting, without getting bogged down in the sci-fi mechanics of it all. She has also steered clear of the trope of oppressive governments and uprisings we’ve seen so much of lately in YA dystopian fiction.
I found the central character Zee McAdams’s role as an empath particularly fascinating – she works in one of London’s hospitals, forming a mental bridge with patients and guiding them through pain management and healing. It is there that she meets David, a handsome and mysterious alien from Omura. Actually, he comes across as a bit geeky, with his obsession for learning about Earth’s culture, but in a cute way. Endearingly, Zee thinks she’s immune to falling in love – until it happens to her. Once ‘pierced’ by her attraction to David, she can never make it unhappen. But things aren’t going to be simple for our star-crossed lovers – Romeo and Juliet had it easy by comparison! Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, Zee and David do fall in love very suddenly, something I’ve always found irritatingly unrealistic in fiction (sorry Shakespeare!). However, because of they way ‘piercing’ is described (when empaths feel attraction for or fall in love with a patient, an involuntary and undesirable occurrence that impedes their work), in this case at least it seems more likely in the context.
Rapid romance aside, there are some unforgettable characters – I loved Zee’s friendship with her ageing patient Mrs Hart, and with her two girlfriends, feisty, independent Rana and sweet-natured Jasmine. And there is one corker of a twist right at the end that blows everything wide open. Be warned – you will want to read the sequel right away.
I also really like the author’s take on writing fiction, who says in her author bio on the Piccadilly Press website: ‘In my heart of hearts, I believe all stories happened somewhere and sometime. The writer’s job, like Zee’s, is to shut out daily distractions to describe that other reality.’
April 28, 2013
(Source: I received a paperback copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Daphne from Winged Reviews, and Piccadilly Publishers.)
17-year-old Zee is a healing empath, which means that she works in a hospital and uses her special gifts to heal people.
One day she is sent to see a patient who is being difficult, but when she enters the room she gets two surprises. The first is that she is strangely attracted to the patient – David, and the second is when he tells her he is an alien.
Aliens have lived among humans for a while, but Zee hasn’t really met many. David’s being an alien isn’t the biggest problem though as Zee finds herself falling in love with him. Love is very detrimental to an empaths career as it messed with their ability to feel things, and falling for David puts both Zee’s heart and career at risk.
David has even more surprises in store for Zee though, and Zee’s adventures are only just beginning.
What else is David hiding though? Why can’t they be together? And what does the future hold in store for Zee?
This story was okay, but I think it’s probably more suited to a younger reader, maybe age 8 – 15, as the story seems quite simplistic, and the pace is quite slow.
Zee was an interesting character. She obviously cared a great deal about her work and her patients, and had absolutely no intentions of ever falling in love, least of all with an alien. It was nice to see how Zee’s feelings totally took her over, even when she didn’t want them to, and how swept away she was by her new found love for David.
I didn’t really get that much of a feel for David, other than knowing that he was secretive and clearly hiding things from Zee. This theme continued throughout the entire book, and although the relationship between the pair was sweet enough at times, this dishonesty set alarm bells ringing for me.
The storyline in this book was okay, if a little unbelievable at times. David’s coming-out as an alien was a little weird, but nothing compared to the major bombshell that was dropped right at the end of the story, leaving us with an ending that was part cliff-hanger, and part ‘to be continued…’ This book is obviously just the first half of Zee and David’s story, and leaves the reader with a lot more questions than answers, so if you want to read this, be prepared to have to read both books, as this is more like part 1 and 2 of a story rather than two stories in a series in my opinion.
Overall; a fairly tame sci-fi/romance story, probably best suited to a younger audience (ages 8 – 15).
6.5 out of 10.
17-year-old Zee is a healing empath, which means that she works in a hospital and uses her special gifts to heal people.
One day she is sent to see a patient who is being difficult, but when she enters the room she gets two surprises. The first is that she is strangely attracted to the patient – David, and the second is when he tells her he is an alien.
Aliens have lived among humans for a while, but Zee hasn’t really met many. David’s being an alien isn’t the biggest problem though as Zee finds herself falling in love with him. Love is very detrimental to an empaths career as it messed with their ability to feel things, and falling for David puts both Zee’s heart and career at risk.
David has even more surprises in store for Zee though, and Zee’s adventures are only just beginning.
What else is David hiding though? Why can’t they be together? And what does the future hold in store for Zee?
This story was okay, but I think it’s probably more suited to a younger reader, maybe age 8 – 15, as the story seems quite simplistic, and the pace is quite slow.
Zee was an interesting character. She obviously cared a great deal about her work and her patients, and had absolutely no intentions of ever falling in love, least of all with an alien. It was nice to see how Zee’s feelings totally took her over, even when she didn’t want them to, and how swept away she was by her new found love for David.
I didn’t really get that much of a feel for David, other than knowing that he was secretive and clearly hiding things from Zee. This theme continued throughout the entire book, and although the relationship between the pair was sweet enough at times, this dishonesty set alarm bells ringing for me.
The storyline in this book was okay, if a little unbelievable at times. David’s coming-out as an alien was a little weird, but nothing compared to the major bombshell that was dropped right at the end of the story, leaving us with an ending that was part cliff-hanger, and part ‘to be continued…’ This book is obviously just the first half of Zee and David’s story, and leaves the reader with a lot more questions than answers, so if you want to read this, be prepared to have to read both books, as this is more like part 1 and 2 of a story rather than two stories in a series in my opinion.
Overall; a fairly tame sci-fi/romance story, probably best suited to a younger audience (ages 8 – 15).
6.5 out of 10.
July 10, 2015
REVIEW BY PETER 8:3
Neptune’s Tears is a love story between the two main characters Zee McAdams and David Sutton but as many other love stories things don’t go quite to plan. It is based in the future, David is an Alien and Zee is a human empath who fall in love after meeting in A&E.
Zee McAdams is the main character and she falls in love with David Sutton. Throughout the story Zee becomes emotionally attached to David and soon can’t stop thinking about spending her life with him but there is a few difficulties along the way from terrorists to separation.
My favourite part of the book was when the two went on a date to an epic sounding cinema where the seats float and rotate around the screen. I enjoyed this part of the book because I could strongly visualise the scene.
My favourite character in the book was Mrs Heart who was one of Zees patients who gave her advice when she needed it and shared stories that you could visualise. I liked the character because she was kind and shared life advice with Zee.
I thought I would not like the book because of its genre (Romance) but I actually quite enjoyed the book because I thought it would be all Lovey Dovey but that wasn’t the case. It had quite a lot of action including bombs exploding.
There wasn’t anything I would change about the book because it Leeds you up to thinking something but then twists what happens suddenly and I quite liked the idea of that.
I probably would read the work of this Author again because it was well written and provided a good twist at the end and left the book on a cliff hanger so it could be continued. Neptune’s Tears keeps you wondering what happens and you start making things up in your head.
I would recommend this to others because I enjoyed the book and I think other people would enjoy the book as well. I think it suits the age group of 12-16.
Out of five I would give the book A solid 4 because I thoroughly enjoyed Neptune’s Tears.
Neptune’s Tears is a love story between the two main characters Zee McAdams and David Sutton but as many other love stories things don’t go quite to plan. It is based in the future, David is an Alien and Zee is a human empath who fall in love after meeting in A&E.
Zee McAdams is the main character and she falls in love with David Sutton. Throughout the story Zee becomes emotionally attached to David and soon can’t stop thinking about spending her life with him but there is a few difficulties along the way from terrorists to separation.
My favourite part of the book was when the two went on a date to an epic sounding cinema where the seats float and rotate around the screen. I enjoyed this part of the book because I could strongly visualise the scene.
My favourite character in the book was Mrs Heart who was one of Zees patients who gave her advice when she needed it and shared stories that you could visualise. I liked the character because she was kind and shared life advice with Zee.
I thought I would not like the book because of its genre (Romance) but I actually quite enjoyed the book because I thought it would be all Lovey Dovey but that wasn’t the case. It had quite a lot of action including bombs exploding.
There wasn’t anything I would change about the book because it Leeds you up to thinking something but then twists what happens suddenly and I quite liked the idea of that.
I probably would read the work of this Author again because it was well written and provided a good twist at the end and left the book on a cliff hanger so it could be continued. Neptune’s Tears keeps you wondering what happens and you start making things up in your head.
I would recommend this to others because I enjoyed the book and I think other people would enjoy the book as well. I think it suits the age group of 12-16.
Out of five I would give the book A solid 4 because I thoroughly enjoyed Neptune’s Tears.
June 12, 2013
NEPTUNE'S TEARS was an engaging science fiction romance with excellent world-building and interesting characters. Zee is seventeen and an empath-in-training who works in a hospital. She is very happy in her career and very focused until she meets David Sutton, accident victim and alien.
Aliens arrived on Earth when Zee was six and were not what anyone had been expecting. They were just like us except taller. They were also interested in our art and culture. David had been injured when a large shelf of Nancy Drew books fell on his head. Zee was supposed to convince him to stay in hospital but he was determined to leave. Then insta-love takes over and they both feel a connection...
London and, in fact, the world is being subjected to attacks by anarchists. One common weapon of choice is the shock bomb. A shock bomb explosion precipitates David and Zee's second meeting. They work together to help the victims. Then they begin dating thought David keeps telling her their relationship is impossible.
Weaving around the romance is Zee's relationship with one of her elderly patients who is dying of liver cancer. Mrs. Hart and Zee form a deep friendship and Mrs. Hart acts as a sounding board for Zee and encourages her to grab at life and love with both hands.
Zee is also developing a new psychic talent. She might be a very rare diviner who will be incredibly useful in stopping further attacks by the anarchists.
The story is filled with interesting detail, friendship, and romance. The only flaw that I can find is the extremely abrupt and unresolved ending. I sincerely hope that a book two is in the works.
Aliens arrived on Earth when Zee was six and were not what anyone had been expecting. They were just like us except taller. They were also interested in our art and culture. David had been injured when a large shelf of Nancy Drew books fell on his head. Zee was supposed to convince him to stay in hospital but he was determined to leave. Then insta-love takes over and they both feel a connection...
London and, in fact, the world is being subjected to attacks by anarchists. One common weapon of choice is the shock bomb. A shock bomb explosion precipitates David and Zee's second meeting. They work together to help the victims. Then they begin dating thought David keeps telling her their relationship is impossible.
Weaving around the romance is Zee's relationship with one of her elderly patients who is dying of liver cancer. Mrs. Hart and Zee form a deep friendship and Mrs. Hart acts as a sounding board for Zee and encourages her to grab at life and love with both hands.
Zee is also developing a new psychic talent. She might be a very rare diviner who will be incredibly useful in stopping further attacks by the anarchists.
The story is filled with interesting detail, friendship, and romance. The only flaw that I can find is the extremely abrupt and unresolved ending. I sincerely hope that a book two is in the works.
January 10, 2014
I would not recommend this book to teens, or even fans of YA fiction. It is written in such a way (that I'll get to soon enough) that it would have more appeal to fans of adult sci-fi, British mysteries, or especially adult British sci-fi.
Here's why:
There is something very off about this book. Pop culture references that don’t belong in the future, already uncommon English idioms spoken by aliens, uncharacteristic dialogue, strange devices that make the future setting awkward and unbelievable (Shock Socks? Email sticks?) all make Neptune’s Tears an awkward attempt at a dystopian romance set in the near future on an Earth that has seen the arrival of extremely human-like aliens.
The tone of the entire novel is distant, sparse, and disconnected. Teens will not be able to relate to the characters. The dialogue is not realistic. The characters' actions are barely convincing. The protagonist's thoughts and inner dialogue is fine at times, but it would have benefited from being told in first person to jump that gap between the reader and the story.
The plot was believable at first, but quickly spiraled into something strange and convoluted. I didn't believe for a second that the love interest was actually an alien. I didn't understand why the best-written parts of the story were the protagonist's visits with the dying old lady. I didn't feel like her interactions with her friends were things that teens would actually do. The romance was very bland.
And finally, the twist at the end came far too late. There were no hints leading up to it. It came out of nowhere and made no sense and will infuriate readers. No spoilers, but seriously-it's not good.
Here's why:
There is something very off about this book. Pop culture references that don’t belong in the future, already uncommon English idioms spoken by aliens, uncharacteristic dialogue, strange devices that make the future setting awkward and unbelievable (Shock Socks? Email sticks?) all make Neptune’s Tears an awkward attempt at a dystopian romance set in the near future on an Earth that has seen the arrival of extremely human-like aliens.
The tone of the entire novel is distant, sparse, and disconnected. Teens will not be able to relate to the characters. The dialogue is not realistic. The characters' actions are barely convincing. The protagonist's thoughts and inner dialogue is fine at times, but it would have benefited from being told in first person to jump that gap between the reader and the story.
The plot was believable at first, but quickly spiraled into something strange and convoluted. I didn't believe for a second that the love interest was actually an alien. I didn't understand why the best-written parts of the story were the protagonist's visits with the dying old lady. I didn't feel like her interactions with her friends were things that teens would actually do. The romance was very bland.
And finally, the twist at the end came far too late. There were no hints leading up to it. It came out of nowhere and made no sense and will infuriate readers. No spoilers, but seriously-it's not good.
July 8, 2013
This review can also be found here
I was not a fan of this book. When I first read the description, I figured it would be completely awesome since I've really been into space books recently and I couldn't wait to start this one. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations and I didn't end up loving it like I thought I would.
The story moved way to slowly for me and I found myself bored and not really caring what happened. It seemed like nothing really happened until the book was almost over and the plot dragged along. There were also topics that were pretty hard to understand and should have been explained more, like the act of divesting.
The characters were another huge disappointment for me. They weren't as developed as they could have been and I really only liked David. I really found myself disliking Zee. She let a guy jeopardize everything she had been working for and let him distract her from every other important thing in her life.
The only thing that really caught my attention was David's real reason for being on Earth which was revealed at the end of the book. While it was interesting and created drama and suspense it simply wasn't enough to make me want to read the next book to find out what happens.
I was not a fan of this book. When I first read the description, I figured it would be completely awesome since I've really been into space books recently and I couldn't wait to start this one. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations and I didn't end up loving it like I thought I would.
The story moved way to slowly for me and I found myself bored and not really caring what happened. It seemed like nothing really happened until the book was almost over and the plot dragged along. There were also topics that were pretty hard to understand and should have been explained more, like the act of divesting.
The characters were another huge disappointment for me. They weren't as developed as they could have been and I really only liked David. I really found myself disliking Zee. She let a guy jeopardize everything she had been working for and let him distract her from every other important thing in her life.
The only thing that really caught my attention was David's real reason for being on Earth which was revealed at the end of the book. While it was interesting and created drama and suspense it simply wasn't enough to make me want to read the next book to find out what happens.
April 19, 2016
Again I wish there were half star ratings as this book is more of a 2.5 for me. The book started out really slow and it took me awhile to get into.
I found that for the majority of the book the plot really dragged and I was bored for most of the book. The plot started to pick up towards the end and I could tell that the author was building the story up for a sequel. There was a lot of shocks that happened in the last 50 pages that were unexpected and were used to make readers want to read the next book.
The book was really short and as a result, the world building and character development was really lacking. I would have liked to have seen more world building as at times things were a bit confusing. I thought that the plot seemed similar to other dystopian books although there were some shocks that were unexpected.
The main focus of this story was the love story between Zee and David but I didn't really like the romance. The romance seemed to happen very fast and I didn't think that it was very realistic. I would have liked to have seen more about the world and Zee's 'powers' rather than the romance.
I found that for the majority of the book the plot really dragged and I was bored for most of the book. The plot started to pick up towards the end and I could tell that the author was building the story up for a sequel. There was a lot of shocks that happened in the last 50 pages that were unexpected and were used to make readers want to read the next book.
The book was really short and as a result, the world building and character development was really lacking. I would have liked to have seen more world building as at times things were a bit confusing. I thought that the plot seemed similar to other dystopian books although there were some shocks that were unexpected.
The main focus of this story was the love story between Zee and David but I didn't really like the romance. The romance seemed to happen very fast and I didn't think that it was very realistic. I would have liked to have seen more about the world and Zee's 'powers' rather than the romance.
November 26, 2013
Set in London 2218, during a time of great technological innovation and strong opposition from an eco-anarchist terroists setting bombs off world-wide. Zee is a 17-year-old American medical empath reaching the top of her game when she falls for young man who is also from another world. At a mere 218 pgs and a small height, Waggoner tries to pack as much world building without success, instead only gives glimpses of this future world. Along with weak world building is the weak character development and even lack of build for the romance with surprise ending that is more disappointing that revealing. The characters seem and act older, such as Zee is working in a hospital after training, and the age felt dded so as to marketing reasons. Overall, the story felt like a synopsis that was green lighted into a full story, but would have benefited from a slower paced storytelling.
July 16, 2013
In depth review to come.
Bottom line, I don't recommend this novel.
It was all tell and no show. Also, I never emotionally connected with the characters.. It was all... Blah blah blah... Yada yada yada . I can think of a lot of scifi a that cover the same topic but are way better....
Bottom line, I don't recommend this novel.
It was all tell and no show. Also, I never emotionally connected with the characters.. It was all... Blah blah blah... Yada yada yada . I can think of a lot of scifi a that cover the same topic but are way better....
March 3, 2013
This was surprisingly really good!!! Love the setting, and the romance was cute! Zee was a wonderful character and I can't wait for the next book!!
August 8, 2016
Read this review and others at The Silver Petticoat Review: Neptune’s Tears – A Sci-Fi Adventure of Two Star-Crossed Lovers
Review by Clarissa Hadge
Overall Rating = 3.5; Romance Rating = 4
Set in the year 2218, Neptune’s Tears is a look at what makes people human. Is it sympathy for others? An appreciation of life? Or something else?
NEPTUNE’S TEARS RECAP AND REVIEW – SPOILERS
Zee is a teenage empath in London, working her way to what seems to be a bright future in healthcare. Empaths use the energy around them to create psychic connections with patients to help them heal. Zee, an ex-pat American living in London as an empath intern, can’t imagine doing anything else with her life.
Though empaths are discouraged from becoming too close with their patients, Zee has a solid friendship with one of her older patients, Mrs. Hart, who is also an ex-pat. Mrs. Hart is a former designer and created Neptune’s Tears, a setting of diamonds taken from Neptune many decades prior to her interactions with Zee in the hospital.
The name comes from the tragedy of the Neptune program. Robots dispatched to the planet eventually became sentient, creating bonds with each other, and understanding what it meant to feel pain, and lose friends. Conspiracies broke about the program, and mass propaganda was sent out to show the divide between robot and human emotions. When the robots sent their last batch of diamonds from Neptune, they became silent and unresponsive to Earth’s signals. Technology has evolved in leaps and bounds in Zee’s world, and though people live a lot longer (Mrs. Hart is about one hundred, which is the typical life expectancy), there are still things that science has not yet found a cure for. Zee discovers that Mrs. Hart has cancer during one of their sessions, but it is another patient, David, who has Zee’s attentions elsewhere.
David is in Zee’s hospital for a head wound, and she is assigned to his case at the last minute.
There is an instant attraction between the two, but Zee is worried that this will distract her from her role as an empath.
Though she keeps in with her training, Zee notices that there is something off about David. Fidgety and wanting to leave against the hospital’s orders, Zee manages to keep him from immediately going out the door. In their brief conversation, she finds out that David is an alien.
The aliens came to Earth several years prior and were peaceful, wanting to learn more about humankind. Though they appear similar to humans, except for being slightly taller than most, their race wanted to experience life as humans did, without the constant need only for survival. Though the aliens gave no indication that they would turn on humankind, people were still distrustful. Zee’s parents, especially her father, are fully behind the interactions between humans and aliens, but Zee is more cautious.
When Zee realizes David is alien, it rattles her, and she leaves quickly. But their connection is undeniable, and when a terrorist attack happens a few days later, David reappears again to help Zee with the swarm of people at the hospital.
The attack is a shock bomb, set off by an archaist group who had set off bombs previously in other cities. The bomb is silent and creates a slow death for those in its radius. It has the potential to kill victims from the inside out, through the use of shock waves to break down people’s internal organs. Zee’s hospital is inundated with the amount of people hit from the bomb, and she is grateful for David’s assistance with a large group of children. When the day finally calms down, Zee can’t deny the connection between the two of them, and they agree to meet up outside of the hospital. They have a fun time at an air boarding field outside of the city, but Zee is left feeling confused, especially when David kisses her, then almost immediately claims that he can’t get too close to her. Zee also notices a girl that has been close by to them all day, and wonders if David knows her, and what secrets he might not want to reveal.
Zee’s world is turned upside down when another shock bomb goes off shortly after the first, but this time, she is knocked unconscious with a reaction that she can’t gauge. Because of her traits that make her a good empath, it made her a receptor of the emotions of the people from the attack, which engulfed her mind, causing her to lose consciousness. Though Zee is unwilling to give up role as an empath, she is told that with practice, she can learn to control the effects of being a receptor, and possibly even be able to preemptively learn about the attacks.
As the attacks continue to happen, Zee and David draw closer; Zee learning to control the effects from the bombs going off, with David supporting her.
But for as much as they continue to see each other, David still won’t let Zee in, continually trying to convey that as much as he cares for her, they can’t really be together. When a fancy night out to celebrate her birthday ends in a mugging, with David and Zee both attacked, the truth comes out.
(SPOILER) David tells Zee that on his world, Omura, every citizen is part of a mass reproduction program that guarantees that their race won’t die out. When someone turns twenty-one, they must marry and begin reproducing. Though David is a guest on Earth, he has to return to Omura soon, with his research partner, Mia (the girl that Zee saw during their first date) otherwise there will be consequences. Because Zee is human, she cannot go with David. Stunned by this fact, Zee tries to convince David to stay on Earth, to find another option, but eventually he leaves.
Distraught over this information, Zee tries to distract herself from David’s leaving, and with more attacks and a slew of natural disasters occurring in succession, she has plenty on her mind and much to train for. Along with Mrs. Hart’s rapidly deteriorating health, Zee has a heavy load to carry. But David is ever in her thoughts, and when Mia reappears in Zee’s life, with the opportunity to find David, Zee snatches it. Though Zee and David reunite, their world is torn apart again when Zee volunteers to help with a plan to catch the head anarchist who has been setting off the bombs.
Though the plan is successful, Zee is still forced to face the fact that David must leave. She decides that she will go with him; that she would rather have a life on another planet with him, than a life without. But David has another secret to reveal (SPOILER): he’s not actually an alien. He is a time-traveler from a future Earth, sent back in time to gather information to bring into the future with him. A meteor is set to hit Zee’s Earth, and the people from David’s Earth have a strict limit for the people that they allow into the future. Zee is on a list called the Essentials, meaning that she helps with the rebuilding of humankind, after the meteor strike. As such, she would not be allowed to travel to the future with David. But Zee is adamant that they will find some way to be together, no matter what the future holds.
Zee and David’s story continues in Starlight’s Edge.
I’m a sucker for sci-fi, and though Neptune’s Tears had many enjoyable scenes, my biggest qualm was that the novel was so short. There was an intense amount of plot crammed into a brief novel, and I felt as if the backstory of how Zee’s Earth evolved, and Zee and David’s relationship could have been drawn out more. David’s final reveal happens in the very last pages of the book, which leaves the reader on a doozy of a cliffhanger, and unfortunately, is somewhat predictable.
I appreciated the author’s use of technology; it’s familiar in a way that doesn’t seem completely foreign and is easily accessible. Zee, though she has more agency than some other female protagonists out there, Zee falls a bit into the pining-for-her-boyfriend trope a little too much for my liking.
Neptune’s Tears is a fast read and is a good start for readers who want to dip their toes into YA sci-fi without becoming overwhelmed.
ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION
This would be fun to see on the big screen. The world of Tomorrowland in the film of the same name is how I pictured Zee’s Earth. There are aspects that haven’t changed too much (like London Tube), but other things, like mail sticks (how Zee checks her email) that are similar to the bright and shiny world that is portrayed in Tomorrowland. It would also be aesthetically pleasing to have the scenes where Zee is creating the bridges during her empath sessions to visually play out.
Georgie Henley, known for playing Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia films, would be a good fit for Zee. She has the acting chops to play innocent and serious, but could bring a light-hearted sensibility to the role. Kodi Smit-McPhee (in my opinion), is David, through and through. His roles in Let Me In and Slow West have proved that he can play characters with deep emotional connections to their romantic counterparts, and he definitely fits the physical description of David.
Review by Clarissa Hadge
Overall Rating = 3.5; Romance Rating = 4
Set in the year 2218, Neptune’s Tears is a look at what makes people human. Is it sympathy for others? An appreciation of life? Or something else?
NEPTUNE’S TEARS RECAP AND REVIEW – SPOILERS
Zee is a teenage empath in London, working her way to what seems to be a bright future in healthcare. Empaths use the energy around them to create psychic connections with patients to help them heal. Zee, an ex-pat American living in London as an empath intern, can’t imagine doing anything else with her life.
Though empaths are discouraged from becoming too close with their patients, Zee has a solid friendship with one of her older patients, Mrs. Hart, who is also an ex-pat. Mrs. Hart is a former designer and created Neptune’s Tears, a setting of diamonds taken from Neptune many decades prior to her interactions with Zee in the hospital.
The name comes from the tragedy of the Neptune program. Robots dispatched to the planet eventually became sentient, creating bonds with each other, and understanding what it meant to feel pain, and lose friends. Conspiracies broke about the program, and mass propaganda was sent out to show the divide between robot and human emotions. When the robots sent their last batch of diamonds from Neptune, they became silent and unresponsive to Earth’s signals. Technology has evolved in leaps and bounds in Zee’s world, and though people live a lot longer (Mrs. Hart is about one hundred, which is the typical life expectancy), there are still things that science has not yet found a cure for. Zee discovers that Mrs. Hart has cancer during one of their sessions, but it is another patient, David, who has Zee’s attentions elsewhere.
David is in Zee’s hospital for a head wound, and she is assigned to his case at the last minute.
There is an instant attraction between the two, but Zee is worried that this will distract her from her role as an empath.
Though she keeps in with her training, Zee notices that there is something off about David. Fidgety and wanting to leave against the hospital’s orders, Zee manages to keep him from immediately going out the door. In their brief conversation, she finds out that David is an alien.
The aliens came to Earth several years prior and were peaceful, wanting to learn more about humankind. Though they appear similar to humans, except for being slightly taller than most, their race wanted to experience life as humans did, without the constant need only for survival. Though the aliens gave no indication that they would turn on humankind, people were still distrustful. Zee’s parents, especially her father, are fully behind the interactions between humans and aliens, but Zee is more cautious.
When Zee realizes David is alien, it rattles her, and she leaves quickly. But their connection is undeniable, and when a terrorist attack happens a few days later, David reappears again to help Zee with the swarm of people at the hospital.
The attack is a shock bomb, set off by an archaist group who had set off bombs previously in other cities. The bomb is silent and creates a slow death for those in its radius. It has the potential to kill victims from the inside out, through the use of shock waves to break down people’s internal organs. Zee’s hospital is inundated with the amount of people hit from the bomb, and she is grateful for David’s assistance with a large group of children. When the day finally calms down, Zee can’t deny the connection between the two of them, and they agree to meet up outside of the hospital. They have a fun time at an air boarding field outside of the city, but Zee is left feeling confused, especially when David kisses her, then almost immediately claims that he can’t get too close to her. Zee also notices a girl that has been close by to them all day, and wonders if David knows her, and what secrets he might not want to reveal.
Zee’s world is turned upside down when another shock bomb goes off shortly after the first, but this time, she is knocked unconscious with a reaction that she can’t gauge. Because of her traits that make her a good empath, it made her a receptor of the emotions of the people from the attack, which engulfed her mind, causing her to lose consciousness. Though Zee is unwilling to give up role as an empath, she is told that with practice, she can learn to control the effects of being a receptor, and possibly even be able to preemptively learn about the attacks.
As the attacks continue to happen, Zee and David draw closer; Zee learning to control the effects from the bombs going off, with David supporting her.
But for as much as they continue to see each other, David still won’t let Zee in, continually trying to convey that as much as he cares for her, they can’t really be together. When a fancy night out to celebrate her birthday ends in a mugging, with David and Zee both attacked, the truth comes out.
(SPOILER) David tells Zee that on his world, Omura, every citizen is part of a mass reproduction program that guarantees that their race won’t die out. When someone turns twenty-one, they must marry and begin reproducing. Though David is a guest on Earth, he has to return to Omura soon, with his research partner, Mia (the girl that Zee saw during their first date) otherwise there will be consequences. Because Zee is human, she cannot go with David. Stunned by this fact, Zee tries to convince David to stay on Earth, to find another option, but eventually he leaves.
Distraught over this information, Zee tries to distract herself from David’s leaving, and with more attacks and a slew of natural disasters occurring in succession, she has plenty on her mind and much to train for. Along with Mrs. Hart’s rapidly deteriorating health, Zee has a heavy load to carry. But David is ever in her thoughts, and when Mia reappears in Zee’s life, with the opportunity to find David, Zee snatches it. Though Zee and David reunite, their world is torn apart again when Zee volunteers to help with a plan to catch the head anarchist who has been setting off the bombs.
Though the plan is successful, Zee is still forced to face the fact that David must leave. She decides that she will go with him; that she would rather have a life on another planet with him, than a life without. But David has another secret to reveal (SPOILER): he’s not actually an alien. He is a time-traveler from a future Earth, sent back in time to gather information to bring into the future with him. A meteor is set to hit Zee’s Earth, and the people from David’s Earth have a strict limit for the people that they allow into the future. Zee is on a list called the Essentials, meaning that she helps with the rebuilding of humankind, after the meteor strike. As such, she would not be allowed to travel to the future with David. But Zee is adamant that they will find some way to be together, no matter what the future holds.
Zee and David’s story continues in Starlight’s Edge.
I’m a sucker for sci-fi, and though Neptune’s Tears had many enjoyable scenes, my biggest qualm was that the novel was so short. There was an intense amount of plot crammed into a brief novel, and I felt as if the backstory of how Zee’s Earth evolved, and Zee and David’s relationship could have been drawn out more. David’s final reveal happens in the very last pages of the book, which leaves the reader on a doozy of a cliffhanger, and unfortunately, is somewhat predictable.
I appreciated the author’s use of technology; it’s familiar in a way that doesn’t seem completely foreign and is easily accessible. Zee, though she has more agency than some other female protagonists out there, Zee falls a bit into the pining-for-her-boyfriend trope a little too much for my liking.
Neptune’s Tears is a fast read and is a good start for readers who want to dip their toes into YA sci-fi without becoming overwhelmed.
ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION
This would be fun to see on the big screen. The world of Tomorrowland in the film of the same name is how I pictured Zee’s Earth. There are aspects that haven’t changed too much (like London Tube), but other things, like mail sticks (how Zee checks her email) that are similar to the bright and shiny world that is portrayed in Tomorrowland. It would also be aesthetically pleasing to have the scenes where Zee is creating the bridges during her empath sessions to visually play out.
Georgie Henley, known for playing Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia films, would be a good fit for Zee. She has the acting chops to play innocent and serious, but could bring a light-hearted sensibility to the role. Kodi Smit-McPhee (in my opinion), is David, through and through. His roles in Let Me In and Slow West have proved that he can play characters with deep emotional connections to their romantic counterparts, and he definitely fits the physical description of David.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2019
The blurb sold this book brilliantly - a sentiment echoed by the majority of the reviews on here - but the execution... terrible.
I looked up Susan Waggoner because the book felt like it had been written by a lady who was out-of-touch with teen romance in 2012, let alone 2218, and yes Susan Waggoner looked like an incredibly nice lady (so much so I feel bad writing this review) but not one who has much knowledge of what it's like to be in love at 17 any time recently. Authors do not necessarily have to experience something to write about it, but I think her personal experiences of being young and in love probably hindered her ability to connect with a modern audience.
The plot was good, in fact, parts of it I really liked! The idea of empaths, 'aliens' and diviners I liked, it felt similar (but not too familiar) to The Giver. It unfortunately was let down by a lack of depth. The book really seemed to struggle in presenting a new world when it was so stuck in our current one, it would've worked better set in a parallel universe, not a futuristic one. It is after all a near-impossible task to predict and create a convincing 2218. Quite often when reading early 2010's fiction I find myself thinking 'Why are female protagonists so bland?' and Zee was exactly that, bland.
I would love to see a rewrite of this book because the ideas are there, the story was there but it really needs a younger perspective (any Wattpaders out there willing?). As readers we want to understand why characters fall in love, form friendships, suffer losses, not just be told that they do. Sorry Susan, really I am, but I won't be recommending this any time soon unless you take me up on that rewrite.
I looked up Susan Waggoner because the book felt like it had been written by a lady who was out-of-touch with teen romance in 2012, let alone 2218, and yes Susan Waggoner looked like an incredibly nice lady (so much so I feel bad writing this review) but not one who has much knowledge of what it's like to be in love at 17 any time recently. Authors do not necessarily have to experience something to write about it, but I think her personal experiences of being young and in love probably hindered her ability to connect with a modern audience.
The plot was good, in fact, parts of it I really liked! The idea of empaths, 'aliens' and diviners I liked, it felt similar (but not too familiar) to The Giver. It unfortunately was let down by a lack of depth. The book really seemed to struggle in presenting a new world when it was so stuck in our current one, it would've worked better set in a parallel universe, not a futuristic one. It is after all a near-impossible task to predict and create a convincing 2218. Quite often when reading early 2010's fiction I find myself thinking 'Why are female protagonists so bland?' and Zee was exactly that, bland.
I would love to see a rewrite of this book because the ideas are there, the story was there but it really needs a younger perspective (any Wattpaders out there willing?). As readers we want to understand why characters fall in love, form friendships, suffer losses, not just be told that they do. Sorry Susan, really I am, but I won't be recommending this any time soon unless you take me up on that rewrite.
June 20, 2019
I desperately, DESPERATELY want to give this book a better rating. It has an amazing setup in a well formed world with fascinating elements, interesting examinations of psychology, and characters who are designed to be likeable. That’s not to say, however, that it delivers on those points.
A big issue I had with this book was the fact that it’s so fast paced. In a matter of a sentence, there’s month jumps, and I just feel like it could be stretched out further. Speaking of, that’s another thing- I feel like it could have been so much longer. I understand it’s YA, but a little more padding would have done it good. There’s also the matter of what gets revealed at the end, and it just felt like it was something we could have heard in David’s inner monologue beforehand instead of with mere allusions.
In terms of positives though, I generally HATE romance novels, but this one was done sweetly, and to make me like a romance scenario, which isn’t a mean feat! The world building (while I wish there was a little more of it) is also really cool, and I’m hopeful that the second novel brings something more for me because I really feel like this could go somewhere great.
A big issue I had with this book was the fact that it’s so fast paced. In a matter of a sentence, there’s month jumps, and I just feel like it could be stretched out further. Speaking of, that’s another thing- I feel like it could have been so much longer. I understand it’s YA, but a little more padding would have done it good. There’s also the matter of what gets revealed at the end, and it just felt like it was something we could have heard in David’s inner monologue beforehand instead of with mere allusions.
In terms of positives though, I generally HATE romance novels, but this one was done sweetly, and to make me like a romance scenario, which isn’t a mean feat! The world building (while I wish there was a little more of it) is also really cool, and I’m hopeful that the second novel brings something more for me because I really feel like this could go somewhere great.
December 29, 2020
Your job as a author when creating a new world is simple explain it. I as the reader have no idea what your is about. So going in expecting me to simply understand is ludicris. Divesting not a clue what it is but apparently Zee is fast at it could have used some explaining. Especially 8 pages in! Piercing another word maybe a glossery of terms should have been included. Instant love should have known this short book would be one of these. Email sticks care to explain? No? Ok then. I guess i was just supposed to know everything is done with holograms.
So being a woman means people looking at you and this is a great thing. Really?!
There are some parts that dont make sense *a few decades years ago* well which is it.
The whole idea of this story Aliens is a lie now its time travelers ugh! How pointless was this alien idea if its actually about time travel.
Now i have to read book 2 to see how this actually ends!
The writing is not great very amateur. No character development i was not invested in these characters at all.
So being a woman means people looking at you and this is a great thing. Really?!
There are some parts that dont make sense *a few decades years ago* well which is it.
The whole idea of this story Aliens is a lie now its time travelers ugh! How pointless was this alien idea if its actually about time travel.
Now i have to read book 2 to see how this actually ends!
The writing is not great very amateur. No character development i was not invested in these characters at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2019
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. The writing was clear, and despite the ever-present threat that it would fall into the realm of a sappy romance, I felt it was handled well. My biggest issue was the twist at the end. The deus ex machina was far too strong, and it really came out of nowhere, with no foreshadowing or tie into other themes. Perhaps future books improve upon the idea of time travel, but I have to say I was actually hoping for some kind of tie to the increasingly empathetic robots from Neptune, given that the book is named after the diamonds that were sent back and the fact that Zee is an Empath. Feels like a missed opportunity that was forced into a different direction, rather than be allowed to develop naturally. I know I may sound very critical, but I want to end on the note that I really did enjoy reading it. Also, that cover art is gorgeous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
In the future, year 2218, a 17 year old empath, Zee is focused on her work with no thoughts of boys when she meets David. Unfortunately he's an alien. David is on Earth for a short time then has to go back to his planet Omura. David is super cautious about seeing Zee, he believes it may be a danger to himself and her too. But Zee has never felt love before and wants to be with David no matter what.
Zee's empathic skills are great. She's able to help many people in the hospital where she works. There are anarchist threats, shock bombs, that have people terrified. Victims of the bombs end up at the hospital in need of help and Zee is there but she doesn't feel that it's enough. She wants to do more. When her empath skills highten and show more abilities she takes on more responsibility and danger comes with it.
Zee's empathic skills are great. She's able to help many people in the hospital where she works. There are anarchist threats, shock bombs, that have people terrified. Victims of the bombs end up at the hospital in need of help and Zee is there but she doesn't feel that it's enough. She wants to do more. When her empath skills highten and show more abilities she takes on more responsibility and danger comes with it.
March 5, 2020
This book was a bit slow in the beginning and the writing sort of felt middle-grade. However, it had a surprising amount of depth for such a short book. It didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I’m still definitely buying the next book ASAP because I need to know what happens! The characters didn’t have a lot of depth and the timeline of the book is a little unclear, but the relationships between the characters was real and, at times, heart-wrenching. This was a good “beach read” and I would therefore not hesitate to read more books by this author if I’m looking for something easy and quick.
June 17, 2023
2, 2.5 stars maybe?
This was just very meh. The romance was very insta-love, in a way with so little build up or progression that it never became believable for me. That ending was such a strange way to direct the story to go from here. The emotions and characters were very one dimensional. The pacing was strange, to where I know events happened, and yet also it was boring at the same time?
And I’m not much of a sci-fi reader, but the world felt so underdeveloped that I struggled to believe it. It’s almost 200 years in the future, and yet there aren’t very many advancements or changes and also so many references that I wonder would still be relevant at the time.
This was just very meh. The romance was very insta-love, in a way with so little build up or progression that it never became believable for me. That ending was such a strange way to direct the story to go from here. The emotions and characters were very one dimensional. The pacing was strange, to where I know events happened, and yet also it was boring at the same time?
And I’m not much of a sci-fi reader, but the world felt so underdeveloped that I struggled to believe it. It’s almost 200 years in the future, and yet there aren’t very many advancements or changes and also so many references that I wonder would still be relevant at the time.
September 19, 2020
Well here's where I stand on this book. First there are parts of this book that I could say I could get behind if she didn't rush so much through what I found interesting and then drag out all the boring parts in between. I picked it up at a discount store and now I find out that there's a sequel I need to at least be able to have the answers before putting this book behind me.
August 11, 2017
I want to read the next one, to find out wtf is going on, but I really struggled with the writing style.
I found it kinda clunky, and I don't know how to explain better than that. Scene changes, random timeline jumps, and at the end random POV changes with no explanation.
I found it kinda clunky, and I don't know how to explain better than that. Scene changes, random timeline jumps, and at the end random POV changes with no explanation.
August 30, 2018
I liked the story behind the title alone is why I am giving two stars instead of 1. I don't understand how a short book like this felt slow? It did. The ending was rushed and not even half way flushed out enough. I did enjoy the twist at the end deserves two stars, I guess.
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