This novel was sent to me by the author to read and give an honest review, so thank you so much Siobhan!
This is the first book in a trilogy. I read it on my Kindle.
Published: July 28th 2014
Publisher: Self published
Pages: 400 pages (paperback)
Synopsis by the publisher:
TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS. ONE SHARED DREAM
Planet Novo, nestled in space twelve hundred miles above the surface of the Earth, is the new home of 17-year-old Cadet Ariana Skyee. Confused by the government-sanctioned memory erase and distressed at her impending forced marriage and motherhood, Ariana’s plans for the future are thrown into complete disarray.
As the traumatic events within her family life enfold, Ariana grows increasingly alarmed at the authorities apparent pre-occupation with her and feels progressively more isolated and alone.
Her growing feelings for fellow Cadet Cal Remus intensify as the recently announced pageant, ‘The Calling’, gets underway. Struggling to comprehend the continuous, inexplicable dreams of the mysterious Zane, discovering the past helps shape her future, with devastating personal consequences.
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The Writing
I did not find Siobhan’s writing style to be extremely unique, but True Calling is still written in a way that really grabs a hold of you and refuses to let go.
Well written, but I wished that she would have taken the time to describe the surroundings even more just to get an even better view of Novo.
The Characters
Ariana was a strong and well made main character that I enjoyed to follow throughout this book. I had some minor issues about how fast her feelings for Cal changed and felt it was a bit unrealistic. But love works in mysterious ways and all that jazz.
Cal, oh Cal! At first I was very charmed by his character, but it was still something about him that made me very unsure if I could trust him.
Ariana’s family is an assembly if interesting characters as well and they give extra depth and variation to the story.
The Plot
This book was definitely a fast paced one and I flew right through it in the curiosity wanting to know what was going to happen next.
That interesting mixture of science fiction and almost like a reality show made it into something very different than anything else I’ve read.
This story did definitely have some plot twists that made it even more interesting and some I really did not see coming.
Additional Thoughts
I really enjoyed this young adult novel and its originality. I look forward to continuing on with the series and seeing where this goes!
Another diamond in the rough! Some minor things that made me not give it a top score, but still one that I would highly recommend if you like science fiction and dystopian novels.
Do you want your own copy of True Calling? Click on the Amazon logo below:
Christina de Vries 