Book Review: Gravity by Melissa West

Title: Gravity
Series: ( The Taking #1)
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Characters: Ari Alexander, Jackson Locke
Age Group: Young Adult
Swoon Factor:
Genre Type: Dystopia, Aliens
Publication Date: October 30th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Select
Format: ebook
Pages: 400 pages
Source: Bought
Reading Challenge: For Review​

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read Gravity by Melissa West. I loved it! It combines some of my favorite elements all rolled up into one amazing reading experience. Of Course there's Aliens and a Dystopian setting in the mix, but it also has some other great element such as: secret spies (Humans vs. Aliens), scientific laboratories with strange experiments, plenty of action, romance, and yes, a surprise twist at the end.

The Setting:

Gravity takes place on Earth after World War IV, where a massive nuclear war has basically destroyed most of Earth. Shortly after this devastation, we are visited by the Ancients (Aliens) who agree to help us by using their advance technology to terraform the Earth. But, there is a big catch-we must sign a treaty agreeing to provide them with our antibodies so they can survive life on Earth. This exchange between a human and an ancient is called the Taking, where every human young adult is assigned an Ancient for the rest of their lives to be a host for the Taking.

"From that moment on, we were no longer just human beings-we were hosts."

My Summary:

Gravity, book one of The Taking, did a great job of grabbing my attention from the very beginning of the story. From the moment I met Ari and she explained what the Taking was, I was hooked and had to know more, and was turning the pages like crazy to find.

Ari Alexander has just broken of the most important rules that have been instilled into humans since the visitation by the Ancients (Aliens).  DON'T PEAK! When something goes awry during one of her sessions of the Taking, Ari accidentally sees for the first time her assigned Ancient. Low and behold it's Jackson Locke, the most popular boy at school. The same arrogant boy whose butt she wants to kick.

“My eyes fly open and round in shock.

It-he-hovers above me as light as air. A bright glow encircles him. A sweet smile rests on his perfect face. His eyes are closed. Another drop hits my cheek, and I glance up to see tiny teardrops slip from his eyes, as though the Taking is too overwhelming to handle.”

Ari has trained most of her life at school and with her father to be an Operative, and whose greatest competition has always been Jackson.  Ari can’t believe all this time Jackson, whom she thought was just another human boy she competed against, is an Ancient, HER Ancient!

Soon ​Ari and Jackson become caught up in a war that has been brewing silently between the Ancients and Humans. Ari begins to question everything she has been taught about the Ancients. As her feelings for Jackson grows, Ari must decide if she should trust him and help him get the secret information he needs to help stop the war between the Ancients and Humans. If she does, she will end up betraying her father, and if she doesn’t, it just may lead to the final war.

The Characters:

Both Ari and Jackson are great characters. Ari has been taught by both her father and school to be tough, and to prepare to become an Operative . But after she discovers who Jackson really is, she begins to question everything she has been trained for. I really like the fact that not only is she intelligent and a great fighter, but she also has a softer side. She truly cares about both Jackson and the possibility of war and the devastation it will bring.

At first, Jackson seemed arrogant and I definitely could feel the friction between Ari and Jackson. But as Jackson’s true identity was revealed, and the dire circumstances between the Humans and Ancients were explained, I understood why Ari was able to trust him so much. And then Jackson began to reveal a different side than the one at school, a sweeter side, and it was easy to understand Ari having strong feelings for Jackson.

​The Love Interest:

I definitely enjoyed the romantic interest between Ari and Jackson. I thought it was great that there was some friction and hot tempers between Ari and Jackson in the beginning, which slowly lead to trust and romance as the story unfolded.

Swoon Factor: Crush:  

Swoon Factor: "Quote"

“I force a smile down at him and say “Thanks,” before taking hold of his outstretched hand and leaping into his arms. He catches me around the waist and eases me to the ground, keeping his hands relaxed at my hips. It takes me a moment to meet his gaze, and when I do, I find myself flushing. I am so confused.”

What I liked:

One of the best features of Gravity had to be be the quick and easy pace of the book. There was action, intrigue, and romance evenly sprinkled throughout the story. There wasn’t any huge chunks of inactivity or lengthy explanations in the dialogue to weigh it down.

What I would have liked or felt could have been better:

I loved Gravity, but I would have liked a little more information about Jackson and the Ancient’s background. I felt like Jackson was holding back a little in the story, and sometimes this got in the way of the believability of the romance. I’m hoping that Melissa West reveals more about Jackson and the Ancients in the next installment of The Taking.

The Ending:

Melissa West gave a bit of a surprise twist in the ending, which I totally loved. Now I’m eagerly anticipating the release of book two, Hover, in August. I need to know more about Jackson, the Ancients, and what role Ari plays in it all!

My Rating: 4 Stars - Really liked it.

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