Earth and Sky

Earth and Sky by Megan Crewe- 4 STARS

Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the visions of disaster that torment her, nothing ever happens, and Sky’s beginning to think she’s crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: that our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, life on Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for humans and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel faction seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs Skylar’s help to save the world and keep the very fabric of reality together. Megan Crewe’s latest tale takes readers on a mind-bending journey through time with a cast of unforgettable characters.

*received a copy from net galley in exchange for honest review. 

Overall-  
I really enjoyed this book! It was everything I hoped it would be! It is a true sci-fi young adult novel, mixing aliens and time travel, along with a side dystopian plot (for the aliens, which affects Earth). This book is FULL of action and adventure. There is never a dull moment!  We are introduced to the action pretty early on and from there its a roller coaster  Theres minor romance but I have high expectations for the next installment! Cant wait!  

World- Building--The world building in this book is excellent. One of the better books I've read recently where the author had me visualizing the world that Skylar and Win were traipsing through. I loved the different time periods and the technology that was used, because it really added a layer of depth and perception to this sometimes confusing book. I loved the way all the different aspects would merge and collide in different ways. And the author did such a good job of explaining things without dumbing it down too much, making it too simple or over detailing (which can happen!)

Plot--  The plot here really built over the course of the book. Even when the reader knew the general idea of the overall purpose of Win and Skylar the book continued through with momentum, constantly building the difficult plot point with ease. There were great twists, that were throughout the book. There was a slight romance that was built in, but it was very slight. And while the friendship between Win and Skylar grew, it didnt develop into a romance, which was slightly disappointing. However I have high hopes for the next book. 

The interesting thing about this particular book is the way the time travel and aliens collide.  This is an intense time travel story, so in some instances I found myself confused. Okay a lot of times. But if you just go with it and don't spend too much time on details it seems to work itself out. The biggest struggle for me was figuring out how changing the past changed the future...I get it, but I don't. Especially in some instances. But generally, I got the point and was able to follow. 

Characters--I really liked Skylar and Win Skylar, the protagonist and POV of the book was really interesting. I loved her instant state of paranoia. I felt like this gave the book more of a realistic vibe, because Skylar didnt just "go along" with everything Win said. She questioned him, and his story. She questioned everything from the start too so it didnt feel misplaced. And even though she was a little over the top at times, it was really very refreshing. I loved finding out more about Skylar's past. That was super interesting and added a level of depth and mystery. 

I liked Win from the start. Not because he was swoon worthy but because he seemed to care so much about Skylar and saving the planet. His appeal came from a deep sense of empathy that he clearly felt for the people on Earth., his sincerity was genuine and beautiful. And even though he wasn't always up front with these it seemed like her was trying to protect Skylar and continue with his mission to save the world. Which I respected. 

I did feel that some of the secondary characters were not developed enough, as I don't feel like I got the know them very well. 

From the Author-
the inspiration behind the story here: http://www.megancrewe.com/blog/?p=2498

major characters here:http://www.megancrewe.com/blog/?p=2522