Review - Gravity (The Taking #1) by Melissa West

Title: Gravity

Author: Melissa West

Series: 1st

Pages: 284

Published:  December 18th 2012 by Entangled Teen 

ISBN: 9781620610916

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Description:    In the future, only one rule will matter: Don’t. Ever. Peek.  Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.  Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.  

I Give This ...

  

I saw this cover and was reminded of Across the Universe, and immediately felt the need to read this.  Sometimes, I need to remind myself that there are certain subjects that just don't really click with me.  In this case, I really think it's aliens.

I never could get a firm grip on Ari's character.  She's the daughter of the military commander and has basically been raised to take his place.   She's no nonsense, knows her place, and does what is expected of her.  At times it was like she was going through the motions.  Perhaps that is why she falls for Jackson so easily.  He's the kink in her tightly woven plans.  He makes her questions everything with just the slightest little bit of information.  He never reveals too much.  Which I think its all part of his plan.  He wants her to think about the way things are done.  He doesn't like his side as much as she beings to question hers.    I honestly think I liked Lawrence the best out of our 3 main characters.  I never thought he had a hidden agenda and he's the most straight forward.

I didn't understand a lot of things about the world this book is set it.  The aliens can't live on the planet for any length of time, but its ok to visit every night for the taking?  What exactly are they taking for the humans, their spirit or life line (I'm picturing the witches from Hocus Pocus here for some reason)?  And the idea of the taking just was just  disturbing.  Both sides seem to have an agenda that I just don't seem to understand.  And both sides seem to be set on total annihilation of the other species.  I think there's a better solution. 

I think aliens might not be for me.  I think there are definitely those who will love this book though.