Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.
If only it were as simple as being in love.
Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.
I'm happy to be a part of the blog tour for Blue Hearts of Mars. It's always cool to read new books and discover new authors.
First off, I really like the cover of this book. The blue heart thing with the cityscape behind it is cool, I think. I just wanted to say that before I delved into a review. :)
The concept of this book is a bit different than lots of I have read. Androids have been sent to new places, such as Mars, before humans to set up a safe place to live. Androids are viewed by humans as lesser because they are not wholly human. They are treated differently and segregated if you can tell they are androids. All androids have a "tell" or something that gives them away as an android. Sometimes the tell is obvious and sometimes it isn't. Many androids get away with living among humans because they can hide their tell. Of course, there has to be "that girl" who falls for an android. Right? The perfect set up for a forbidden relationship.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It's a bit insta love-ish which I didn't wholly buy into but it wasn't too bad. There were times I would be reading, just getting really into the book and the story and then I would be jarred out by something in the story that threw me off and didn't make complete sense. I didn't always get Retta and Hemingway.
BUT, having said that, I thought the story was a good one. It has that science fiction/futuristic sort of feel to it. A future population living under a dome on Mars? Yeah, that's cool. I liked that the romance was Retta and Hemingway against the world instead of a love triangle.
Content: There was a fade away sex scene between Retta and Hemingway after they have done the android equivalent of marriage. No details.
Enjoy the following excerpt from Blue Hearts of Mars!
“I’m pretty sure he’s an android.” I made the decision in a split second. She
should know. Maybe she’d change her tune.
“No way, no. Nuh uh! Him? It’s always the best-looking ones, isn’t it?” She
sat back and slapped the table. Her brown, nearly black eyes flashed and she
flipped her silky dark hair back and shook her head over and over. She was quite
mad about it. Evidently.
“But he’s still gorgeous, right?” I prodded. Across the cafeteria, someone
approached Hemingway and began talking to him. I felt a hot knife of jealousy all
but slip between my ribs. I couldn’t see who it was. Their back was to me and the
crowds thickened right when it happened. I saw him look up at whoever it was.
He smiled and I felt my insides respond in a great knotting that made me stop
eating completely. I sighed.
“Of course! Sure,” Mei said, but I could hear the doubt in her voice. “I mean,
blue heart or man. Gorgeous is gorgeous. No doubt about it.”
I sighed again. “Well, I’m still going to be his friend, if he’s interested. That’s
not weird, right?”
“Not at all! It’s not like we live in a bubble. I mean, we do, but we have to
mingle with them. So, yeah, why not?”
“Do you ever wonder how many people are androids? It’s like, we only
know of a few. But maybe there are more. Maybe we can’t tell with all of them.”
I pushed my tray away and slumped onto my hand, propping my elbow on
the table. Hemingway was getting up and leaving with whoever it was. As he
walked out, I kept trying to get a glimpse of the person escorting him from the
cafeteria. It was too far and the crowds were irritatingly heavy. I only saw him for
a moment, but there was something in his face. Like frustration. Consternation.
Or fear.
“No, why the crap would I wonder? We know who they are. Most of them.
I mean, it’s not like I pay intense attention to who’s a blue heart and who’s not.
Why would I?”
Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!
Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon
Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
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Tour Giveaway
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Signed Copy of Cinder & Blue Hearts of Mars (US only)
Ends 4/19/13
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