Book Stats:
Gaia's Secret by Barbara Kloss
(Book #1 of A Pandoran Novel)
Source: Won from Goodreads giveaway
Format: Paperback, 342 pages
Format: Paperback, 342 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: 9/22/2011
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Romance
Goodreads Summary: Eighteen-year old Daria Jones feels trapped in the cow-strewn suburbs of Fresno, California. And with a dad so overprotective he’s installed video and thermal surveillance down the street, she doesn’t get out much. Until the night he disappears. Following the trail of notes he left, Daria gathers three things: someone’s after her, her dad’s gone to another world on a cryptic mission, and the only one left to trust is her ex-best friend, Alex.After a heart-wrenching break and three years of silence, Alex is the last person she wants to see. But the more she learns about her dad’s absence, the more she realizes she must go to that other world to find him. Even if it means trusting the guy she hates. She agrees to follow Alex through the nearest of seven portals—the heart of Yosemite National Park. But finding her dad in a magical world isn’t easy with a brigade of dark sorcerers chasing her trail. Amidst a world of diabolical creatures, ancient magic, and bizarrely intuitive vegetation, Daria discovers the truth of her past. But unless she conquers the dark force that’s hunting her, Daria will never see her dad again. And if the dark force gets its way, the world as she knows it will never be the same.
My Thoughts:
First of all, I want to thank Goodreads and Ms. Barbara Kloss for that giveaway that sent me this little gem. I honestly didn't even remember entering the giveaway and I was so surprised to have this sitting in my mailbox!
Let me calm down for a second before I say this.... How is it possible that this is not on everybody's TBR or currently-reading shelf? I can't say that the story was very original but the execution of it was way better than I expected! This book held my attention from the beginning to its end. The story was action packed yet full of emotions that will send you through a thrilling roller coaster ride to figure out the mystery of Daria's identity.
One of the things that made this book potent was its characters. Daria can probably land on the Top 50 head-strong female characters that I can think of. With that, she's the type of character whom you'll be drawn to whether for the good or the bad. In this case, both. She is a coming-of-age woman who has dreams of seeing the world after being shunned from it by her father. I love that she has dreams, and wants to prove to the world she is anything than just. It's hard not to sympathize with her on that since don't we all have those feelings of anxiety over our untold futures? It's also easy to feel the frustration budding from her character over a lot things. Some things I just don't like about her, is that for someone who supposedly bright, she asks very obvious questions and does very stupid selfish things sometimes.
I loved loved loved Alex. Although I have my fair share of love over stalker-ish male protagonists, it's nice to read about a guy who don't have to be controlling to be memorable. He was patient, sacrificing and all in all, loyal.
"When it comes to protecting you, I never have a second thought. Your life is so precious to me that I don't trust anyone else with it. If any of them harmed you- touched you- I can't explain it but giving them a quick death would've been a difficult favor to grant. It surprises me- scares me a little. I've never... felt that way before."
Oh, the romantic tension in this book had me fanning myself! It was subtle but from the beginning, the moment I heard Alex's name, I. felt. it. Constant denials usually bug me but I loved the hesitations in this book. It made them more.. realistic. Their relationship is heartbreaking as it was beautiful. Why you ask? You're gonna have to find that out for yourself.
I've watched Avatar before so when I saw the word "Pandora", I immediately went giddy inside. It's fun for me to imagine a place as best as I can and with the word "Pandora", it's limitless! The imagery presented in the descriptions did help me see Gaia but I had fun picturing it for my own. There's the strange mix of historical and modernity that really makes you wonder about their world.Barbara Kloss was able to pull off a breathtaking ending and turn it into the a nerve-wracking cliffhanger but I definitely didn't close the book with anger. I felt satisfied actually but I know I want more. I can only hope that as my heart is hurting, it will be mended in the sequel. I can't wait to get my hands on The Keeper's Flame!
Let me calm down for a second before I say this.... How is it possible that this is not on everybody's TBR or currently-reading shelf? I can't say that the story was very original but the execution of it was way better than I expected! This book held my attention from the beginning to its end. The story was action packed yet full of emotions that will send you through a thrilling roller coaster ride to figure out the mystery of Daria's identity.
One of the things that made this book potent was its characters. Daria can probably land on the Top 50 head-strong female characters that I can think of. With that, she's the type of character whom you'll be drawn to whether for the good or the bad. In this case, both. She is a coming-of-age woman who has dreams of seeing the world after being shunned from it by her father. I love that she has dreams, and wants to prove to the world she is anything than just. It's hard not to sympathize with her on that since don't we all have those feelings of anxiety over our untold futures? It's also easy to feel the frustration budding from her character over a lot things. Some things I just don't like about her, is that for someone who supposedly bright, she asks very obvious questions and does very stupid selfish things sometimes.
I loved loved loved Alex. Although I have my fair share of love over stalker-ish male protagonists, it's nice to read about a guy who don't have to be controlling to be memorable. He was patient, sacrificing and all in all, loyal.
"When it comes to protecting you, I never have a second thought. Your life is so precious to me that I don't trust anyone else with it. If any of them harmed you- touched you- I can't explain it but giving them a quick death would've been a difficult favor to grant. It surprises me- scares me a little. I've never... felt that way before."
Oh, the romantic tension in this book had me fanning myself! It was subtle but from the beginning, the moment I heard Alex's name, I. felt. it. Constant denials usually bug me but I loved the hesitations in this book. It made them more.. realistic. Their relationship is heartbreaking as it was beautiful. Why you ask? You're gonna have to find that out for yourself.
I've watched Avatar before so when I saw the word "Pandora", I immediately went giddy inside. It's fun for me to imagine a place as best as I can and with the word "Pandora", it's limitless! The imagery presented in the descriptions did help me see Gaia but I had fun picturing it for my own. There's the strange mix of historical and modernity that really makes you wonder about their world.Barbara Kloss was able to pull off a breathtaking ending and turn it into the a nerve-wracking cliffhanger but I definitely didn't close the book with anger. I felt satisfied actually but I know I want more. I can only hope that as my heart is hurting, it will be mended in the sequel. I can't wait to get my hands on The Keeper's Flame!
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