I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I have had this book for way too long and just got around to reading it. For the most part, it was a decent book. I think the goal and plot were good, but it was the characters that I didn't really have a good connection with. Kiva and Seth were pretty estranged and kept a lot of secrets. They felt like they loved each other, but still didn't trust each other.

Also, this has a cliffhanger, but no indication that there is a sequel? Which definitely angers me because I hate unfinished things...

So overall it was an okay novel for me. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.

My library has a strong S.A. Bodeen presence in our Action/Adventure section. It's hard to keep books on the shelves! However, that's not so much the case with The Tomb. While I appreciate any author willing to step outside of the expected, The Tomb felt like it was more of a writing exercise than a novel for publishing. I liked some aspects of the novel: the sci fi concepts were fun and fit together in new ways, the concept itself was interesting, and that cover is gor-ge-ous! I'm not going to drag this book through the mud. It was an interesting read and brave of the author and publisher to put out there. It just didn't hold true to the S.A. Bodeen my readers and I love.

This was a DNF. The book was messy and all over the place, and the worldbuilding felt lazy. I was bored. Disappointing.

Title: The Tomb
Author: S.A. Bodeen
Genre: YA, fantasy, sci-fi
Rating: 3 out of 5

Kiva grew up going to school, dreaming of being a doctor, and missing her best friend, Seth, the prince she hasn’t spoken to in three years. Life in ancient Alexandria was simple but good. Or so she thought. Until she finally speaks to Seth again, and his first words are “Nothing is as it seems.”

Then Kiva finds out her world never existed at all. Instead, she’s been in a sleep chamber in deep space for years, and her world was all virtual reality. And Seth woke up three years ago and never told her the truth.

Now the two of them must find the part their spaceship needs if they are to survive, but there’s been no contact with the other ships harboring the remnants of humanity for years. They’re not sure where they’re going. They’re not sure how to find what they need. And they’ll need all their broken trust in each other if they’re to survive.

This book had an interesting premise, so I was excited to read it. However, within a few pages, most of my interest had faded. I’d love to read something actually set in ancient Alexandria, but I found things a bit anachronistic at first. Which makes sense, considering it was all virtual reality. I never grew to like Seth, and found him condescending and annoying, and Kiva was very naïve, so I didn’t trust anything she said or did. I felt like the story was still a little rough and wasn’t quite fully realized. The premise was promising, but the execution was less-than-stellar.

S.A. Bodeen grew up in Wisconsin, has lived in Africa, and now resides in the Midwest. The Tomb is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.)

Kiva lives a pampered life as one of the elite in ancient Alexandria. Her former best friend Seth is killed and she is chosen as a companion sacrifice. However, when she wakes on a space station, she is told that she has spent her life in virtual reality and has been chosen to go on a vital mission.

I know that this is a young adult book, but it was just overly simplistic. Kiva only had a slight reaction to being told that her entire life was a lie. For a hormonal teenager, this just did not feel realistic. It made no sense, even with an explanation, that a life or death survival mission would be left up to two 15 year olds. Maybe this book should be marketed to an even younger age group. Overall, a bust.

I was excited at the start of this book because I love space and strong female leads and just was looking forward to this.
That was however was ruined once we meet Seth and see Kiva interact with him. His emotions give me whiplash, he’s all over the place and I’m supposed to believe that he loves Kiva, has loved her for awhile? I’m not feeling it. I honestly just really wanted her to take a good long look at him and realize that even not being with someone would be better than being with him.
My overall enjoyment of the book was generally ruined by Seth’s character. Thankfully The Tomb is a very fast read but I won’t be picking up the second book.

The upside is this whole book can be read in one sitting. The downside is I read this book all the way through to the end. The upside is Ms. Bodeen writes amazing books every other time so as long as her next book is not a sequel to this, it will be great. I am not sure what was going on here. Give me a space story or give me a reincarnation story or...Just give me anything that doesn't have a totally absurd Deus Ex Machina forge in it. Seriously. There is a space forge. A forge. In space. Where a 15 year who has been out of suspended animation for 3 years has secretly built on a space ship where he makes knives. Seriously. That happens in this book. Also, pirates, space cats, a witch called Glinda, being able to walk after being out of suspended animation for a day but not being able to eat, and worrying that "he's not my boyfriend" when a serial killer and owner of said space cat is about to kill you.
Sorry. Harsh. I know but Ms. Bodeen wrote The Compound. I know she can do something totally amazing.
Thanks for the ARC to Net Galley. I really wanted this to be good.

Ugh. This book was such a disappointment. I’ve been so happy with other Bodeen books, but this one fell real short. Characters were flat, plot was just plain strange (and not in a fun way), and the “romance” was weird. The only reason I gave it two stars was because I was compelled to finish the story rather than bail on it, but since it ends on a cliffhanger I won’t be seeking out the sequel.

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC.
Undoubtedly, the beginning of a young adult series, The Tomb is based on the premise that Earth was plunged into an impact winter and some lucky people made it onto some space ships to find a new home. Kiva wakes up out of torpor suspension with very little memory of what was before.

WOW,WOW,WOW! I have read other books and series by this author, and this one does not disappoint. It is a great kick start to a new series (I hope!) with a unique enough premise to keep the reader hooked. Not having read a summary of what the book was about before opening it, I was a little confused in the beginning. But, it all became clear quickly and then it was hard to put down. Fans of any YA Dystopian series and fans of this author will not be disappointed!