Departing by Joynell Schultz – A Book Review

Posted July 28, 2020 by Booksandblurbs in Reviews, Romance, Sci-Fi / 0 Comments

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Departing

(Earth’s Only Hope – Book 1)

by Joynell Schultz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sci-Fi Romance
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

A criminal, an alien and the end of the world – free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

Live or die, stay or go, the choice is meant to be easy…

I can either board an alien spaceship with my fellow criminals or rot in prison on a dying Earth.

The spacecraft’s captain, a handsome alien who looks remarkably human, has been visiting me in my dreams for over a year. He has given me the companionship I need during my time locked up in solitary confinement and the way he holds me in the dark makes me forget the Earth is on the brink of extinction.

In the midst of another ice age, humanity will be wiped out soon, but the alien spacecraft gives hundreds of us another option. If I get on that ship, I have a chance at surviving.

And I’m a survivor.

Only a deadly disease is spreading among the aliens and has already wiped out three-quarters of their population. It appears to be a virus, but as the aliens continue dying despite all precautions, I begin to wonder if the disease is something else.

How do I keep the man I’ve fallen in love with safe?
And if he dies, along with the rest of his alien race, how will us humans manage a ship filled with unknown technology?

But if the disease also wipes out the humans on board, none of this will even matter.

Thoughts on Departing

For a Science Fiction Adventure Romance, this has an edge of reality and honesty that struck me… our main FMC, Skylar, is a selfish human woman who has squandered her life immersed in self-interest and self-preservation.

When it comes to fiction, we often seek heroes and heroines that are different than ourselves; possibly flawed, yet still moral in a way that clearly defines them as the heroic heart that can lead a charge. The generals, the spies, the superwomen.. the ones that would run into a burning building to save a child, though they may die in the attempt – not a broken souled woman who would turn on her fellow inmate for nothing more than spite. It’s a reversal of the norm that smacked me, and made me pay attention.

Skylar is definitely flawed and this is showcased again and again as the narrative progresses. She’s self-centered, egotistical, dishonest and incredibly selfish. In other words, she is strikingly human. At first, I didn’t know if I liked her or loathed her, yet as the pages stacked and the truths revealed themselves, I found myself cheering her journey – and hoping that it somehow ends well. There is quite a bit of growth here, for Skylar and those around her, and much more to come.

Perspective

First Person, Single POV

Ending Type

Pseudo cliff, Episodic, TBC

Rating

16+

Romantic Dynamic

M/F

Character Age Range

23+

My Final Verdict on Departing

Unique and fairly well written, this is a science fiction adventure romance with a heavy dose of angst and telepathy. Intriguing character growth and interesting plot line. Free on Kindle Unlimited.