4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: July 5th, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Mare Tranquillitatis

Lost Coast Rocket – Book 1

Hatching the Phoenix Egg – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Plausible Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Love, angst…

Ken’s young mind, brilliant in math and science, is troubled and as he grows into a young adult, his intense drive inspires a group of his peers to follow him into an audacious, technically thrilling endeavor that places his team in physical and legal danger. In the jumbled chaos of his interpersonal relationships is an intense young love that pushes him to do what no man in history has ever done to thwart the legal arm of the law.

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My review:

This book was not what I expected. I thought it was going to be an action-packed thriller/suspense by reading the blurb (note to self, stop assuming things about books based on that!!!). It was a wonderfully written, coming of age with a hint of romance and some science fiction. It was a pleasant surprise!!!

Even the talk on rockets (and launching them) were fascinating. I will be the first person to admit that I find rockets very dull. Anything to do with science, I find it very dull. I don’t know how I made it to Physics (which is probably the only science I am even remotely interested in) class in HS, many moons ago….lol. But the way that the author described building the rockets from scratch and the different things that go into them, really caught my attention and interest.

I did have a little bit of an issue with the author jumping back in time. Don’t get me wrong; it added to the story (Grandpa Arnold was my favorite), and the author did a great job separating the past from the present. I just got a little turned around at the beginning of the book.

I loved Ken, Akira, Carol, Kate, Jose, Ed, and later Dawn. They were a motley crew, but they had each other’s backs. I loved that it showed girls taking an interest in building rockets (Carol welded parts of the rocket on). It was refreshing to read a book like this that girls (and women) were interested in careers (astrophysics, pilot) that are typically male based.

I did want to kind of smack Ken upside the head a couple of times. He was so stubborn about revealing things (and feelings) to Dawn. I can understand him not wanting Dawn to know who he was (not going into it), but I can’t understand him not coming clean to her about his feelings sooner. Sigh…men.

The end of the book did end on a little bit of a cliffhanger, but it set up for the 2nd book perfectly.

Why: A great, wonderfully written book. Like I said above, I just got a little turned around by going back to the past and then to the future in the same chapter (even though it was clearly separated).

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Teen

Why: No sex, no violence (well if you count a rocket almost taking the group out at violent). One graphic scene of Dawn’s mother dying and another scene where Dawn’s father takes down a sexual predator.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

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I would give Amy’s Square an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Amy’s Square. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**