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It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone-- and her future full of peril.Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose-- hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire-- is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes-- or be left without any future at all
Anna Sheehan proved with this novel that you can write a brilliant, innovative, first young adult fiction story without shiny vampires, werewolves or fallen angels.
If you're thinking this is just another attempt at a retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty, then STOP thinking that. This book is FAR from just another retelling. It is unique and special all its in own way.
Anna Sheehan tells a beautiful story. It begins with Rosalinda Fitzroy awakening from 62 years of stasis, a 16 year old in body & mind, frozen in time until she is found in a forgotten subbasement by her teenage savior. She is lost, confused , and terribly alone for everyone she has ever known is now dead and gone. This includes her first and only love. Xavier.
Sheehan has such an amazing way with words. She draws Rose with a subtle and sympathetic hand. Reading this novel, I could almost envision Rose waking up in this new world, so very alone and frigthened.
I LOVED the romance angles in this book. It's what made it really stand out for me. Sheehan writes the scenes between Rose and Xavier with a vivid hand that brings them to life. It was understandable as well, how Rose became infatuated with Bren. He was, indeed, her savior. He was also one of the few people she befriends throughout the whole novel. It was nice how despite confessing her attraction towards Bren and being some-what rudely rejected at first, they maintained a good friendship. I freakin' loved Otto! That little blue alien *sighs* I hope something happens between him and Rose on a future occassion. I could see a potential relationship from the first time they "spoke". I loved this conversation between them:
“Now I have a question," Otto wrote.
"Fire away."
"What do you see in him?"
"Apart from the obvious?"
"What’s the obvious? I’m afraid I’m not a teenage girl.”
I loved how this book was more of a sci-fi than paranormal. The YA market is seriously lacking in decent, well-thought-out science fiction novels. At least, I haven't come across any recently until now. I cannot wait to see what Anna Sheehan writes next (sequel maybe?! ;)) and look forward to her next novel, whatever it may be about. I recommend this book to anyone. I'm going to leave you guys with some quotes I liked from the novel. I read in on my Kindle Fire and tend to go crazy highlighting quotes I like when I read on it lol
“Did you know I blush purple? Jamal’s teasing me about it."~~~~
"Is he reading this?" I asked, horrified.
"No."
"Sorry I made you blush."
"I’m not. Good night, Briar Rose."
"Good night, blue-skinned alien.”
“I haven't finished revisiting Sleeping Beauty. As a faerie tale, that one is rife with inherent difficulties. After all, the world doesn't stop just because one person is asleep.”
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