Review: Off Planet (Aunare Chronicles #1) by Aileen Erin

Off Planet

Author: Aileen Erin
Series: Aunare Chronicles
Pages: 350
Publisher: Ink Monster
Source: Edelweiss
Release date: 19^th March 2019
Amazon

Synopsis: From USA Today Bestselling Author Aileen Erin 

In an all-too-plausible future where corporate conglomerates have left the world’s governments in shambles, anyone with means has left the polluted Earth for the promise of a better life on a SpaceTech owned colony among the stars.

Maité Martinez is the daughter of an Earther Latina and a powerful Aunare man, an alien race that SpaceTech sees as a threat to their dominion. When tensions turn violent, Maité finds herself trapped on Earth and forced into hiding.

For over ten years, Maité has stayed hidden, but every minute Maité stays on Earth is one closer to getting caught.

She’s lived on the streets. Gone hungry. And found a way to fight through it all. But one night, while waitressing in a greasy diner, a customer gets handsy with her. She reacts without thinking.

Covered in blood, Maité runs, but it’s not long before SpaceTech finds her…

Arrested and forced into dangerous work detail on a volcano planet, Maité waits for SpaceTech to make their move against the Aunare. She knows that if she can’t somehow find a way to stop them, there will be an interstellar war big enough to end all life in the universe.

There’s only one question: Can Maité prevent the total annihilation of humanity without getting herself killed in the process?

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you for the opportunity to read Off Planet by Aileen Erin, the first book in the Aunare Chronicles.

I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately, nothing has held my attention until Off Planet; I was hooked, completely engrossed and wanted more! I loved every moment of it and I was actually disappointed when I finished and realised the next book won’t be released until 2020. It actually left me little teary on a few occasions reading about the MC, I can’t remember the last time that a book affected me so emotionally.

Our MC is Maite Martinez, a halfer – she is half Earther and half Aunare; an alien race that Earth sees as a threat. Maite has remained hidden from SpaceTech – an organisation that invade and steal other planets sources, running with her mother and at times living in poverty to avoid capture, she also teaches self-defence classes and works at a diner; on Aunare she is the lost di Aetes heir. The capture of Maite would mean war between Earth and Aunare so it was vital that she remain hidden.

When Maite blows her cover, she is sentenced to the worst planet in the known galaxy, Abaddon, a volcano planet prison where she is more or less tortured daily in the job that she is assigned. I absolutely adored Maite! She was a strong but stubborn character and despite what she had to endure continued to look out for her friends over herself. You couldn’t help but hope for relief and happiness for her after everything that she had to endure, my heart completely and utterly broke for her. Her life was tough but I can see that she is destined for greatness, she’s a born leader.

The secondary characters were written well – Roan, Ahiga, Audrey, Santiago and Tyler were fabulous support to Maite; Declan didn’t make the best decisions for Maite and to me came across as weak, I couldn’t quite work out his intentions towards her & I often felt he’d failed her more than helped; I understood his predicament but his choices and actions were poorly executed. Lorne was always watching and observing and to be honest had me swooning! He was mysterious and I loved the way he supported, guided and seemed to worship Maite, we soon find out why which I am keen to see explored further but their interactions were perfect and I’m hoping to see more romance in the next book.

The pacing of Off Planet was perfect, I was completely engrossed in the story; the writing was engaging and the plot was flawless; I would have loved more background as to why Earth and Aunare were so desperate to go to war and what the end result (besides complete annihilation) would be; was it only a group so focussed on power and control or was there more? I’d love to learn more about the Aunare and their differences – besides physically and their strength. I hope this is explored more in the sequel.

I loved this book, super excited for the next book, Off Balance which has an anticipated February 2020 release date.