First off, it doesn't feel real that Beth now has two books out! Can you believe we've been here this long?

Well, we have. And today I'm going to be reviewing Beth's sophomore novel, A MILLION SUNS.

I hope she doesn't hate me after this, but *ducks* I loved A MILLION SUNS about a million times more than her first book (which was FANTASTIC and you should all read it if you haven't).

I think that's a high compliment. It's not like I didn't like her first so I was grudgingly giving AMS a "second chance." Not at all.

But I think it's a very hard thing to write a second book that's as good as the first. As someone who's had to do so, I *know* it's hard. We usually take years on our first books, getting feedback, editing, tweaking, etc. And we usually only get a few months to work on the second.

So yeah. I think that's a high compliment.

There were many things I loved about A MILLION SUNS. I even sent Beth an email with the subject of OH MY HECK!!! at one point and everything inside the email was also in capital letters.

If a book can spark that kind of reaction, you know you need to read it. But let's be a bit more specific.

About A MILLION SUNS: Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Trust me, you'll feel the same anxiety, the same, "I will die if I don't get off this ship!" It's that intense.

I've already gushed about the writing of this book here on my own blog. The verbs are fabulous, and it's exactly the kind of fast-paced action that I like. There were a couple more things that I loved:

1. The romance. It's broken and messy. And this is exactly the kind of romantic relationship I like. It's complicated. People in real life are complicated. I want my books to match that, and A MILLION SUNS is a great authentic read.

2. The characters. I thought I loved Amy and Elder before. I was wrong. They have to go through some hard(er) things here, and it makes them come even more alive. There's one particular scene I'm thinking of that I can't say for fear of spoilage. But dude. I so did not want Amy/Elder to die!

And that's worth a lot.

Explore the ship, Godspeed, here.
Visit Beth's blog and website.
BUY YOUR COPY OF A MILLION SUNS!

• Hardcover (Amazon, B&N, a signed copy at Beth's indie, Fireside Books -- plus if you do this (click here for even more info, like their phone number and facebook page), then you get extra swag from Beth!)
• Kindle
• Nook

Visit the A MILLION SUNS page for more links, purchasing options, fan art and more!