"This sci-fi adventure, murder mystery left me on the edge of my seat right from the first page! I appreciated its vibrant and direct narrative style and found myself pleasantly surprised by the author's well placed, intelligent and often dry sense of humor. There were times I literally LOL'd!! Also noteworthy is her detailed science based descriptions. More than once I found myself google searching things related to future tech. and theories that were presented, which was a cool bonus. I would highly recommend this book to the reader who enjoys exciting, murder mystery types, with a side of sci-fi, and a dash of romance. 5 stars and two thumbs way up! Enjoy!!" "It is a joy to find a real page turner with such a fresh voice. I became the characters and felt what they felt. This only happens when the characters, plot, and settings are fully developed and finely tuned whilst working in concert. Additionally, this book is not fluff… The author’s scientific expertise gave me a real feel for life with/in the technologies just over the horizon. It is a great, realistic, exciting vision. Human relationships, political intrigue, action, techie stuff, it has it all. I can’t wait for the next volume." "Bravo and encore! If you like the works of Orson Scott Card, Robert Heinlein or Arthur C. Clarke, you will love Ashley L. Grapes' "Journey to Ohmani." This book has action, suspense, love, interstellar politics and fascinating science. The story is fun and thought-provoking, a great read" "Great read, fast paced and full of action. Looking forward to the next book." "I enjoyed reading this author's first novel. Creating new worlds and thinking though how everything works there always fascinates me. I could detect her teacher voice when the protagonist had to have good grades to be considered an adult at 18. Great concept. I look forward to the rest of the series." "I am not an avid sci-fi fantasy reader but the author does a great job blending the different aspects of a story with the science that is heavily involved in the plot. Levi is 18 but I like that he takes on this huge role as hero for his family (being the only involved male) and ultimately becoming an advocate for many on Ohmani. You get to travel with Levi through his passage to manhood which ironically involves a handful of headstrong, secretive, and intelligent women. I like that he's not a clean cut All American type but still portrays the beauty and intelligence of a student athlete and someone who is passionate about something (surfing). Although Levi is the main character Boki is my favorite character hands down. She has been through as many if not more adversities and faced more monsters than Odysseus and can still be humorous and explicit as any 90 year old can be (rightfully so). Again, even though Levi is the main character the novel's plot is pulled by strong female characters" "Really enjoyed this book - great descriptions of the scenery which really helped immerse the reader into the story. Well-defined characters and smart/believable dialogue made this a fast read. Can't wait for the next book in the series and I'd love to see a movie adaptation just to see the amazing visuals described within." "As a reader of classic murder mysteries and sci-fi books, I was intrigued by what the book promised to provide. This book series has promise and hits quite a few genre of writing. From young adults, to sci-fi, to romance and murder mystery; this book will have something to catch anyone and everyone...First off; if you are into more of a traditional murder mystery, please bear through the first three chapters as it provides the background on the characters and has elements directed to the Young Adult genre of writing. But if you enjoy the genre, you’ll find that the main characters are well developed and allows the reader to emotionally attach themselves to the characters. The book has a comedic relief character that that provides the reader with an enjoyable break from the other aspects of the book while not detracting from the main plotline. To further break up the book, the author provided a romantic twist thrown in that provides reference to her educational background. With all the different genres within the book, it would be easy to lose the main plotline and create several small irrelevant storylines. Having said this, the author manages to combine all these elements without detracting from the main plotline and have each add to the overall story. Thus creating a book that is entertaining to read by a wide audience." "What an engaging story! This book is an easy read yet is filled with twists and turns as the author creates this other world. She has a great imagination and does a wonderful job describing and creating life on this asteroid and yet keeps you connected to this boy from earth. Looking forward to #2!!" |
Please click HERE to leave an Amazon review. Thank you :)
"I only read high-profile books and am very picky with prose and plot. I heard about this one through an old contact and chose to read it based on the author's colorful life experiences. It blew me away- I could - not - put - it - down!!! There are so many incredible plot twists and turns and it ends with such a bang. This thriller is sure to leave an enduring and satiating mark on your reading palate." "Ashley Grapes debut novel is a more than a journey to another world, it's an insight into a piece of our imagination that we all seem to share. Fiction should be reflective as well as predictive, and Ashley Grapes seems to have predicted a plausible future we will all find ourselves in. Though we may not all identify with all of Levi's internal struggles, we all know how hard it is to leave our world behind and embrace the inevitable future we find ourselves in. Nostalgia and Imagination are in constant battle and Journey to Ohmani manages to capture that in a science fiction universe even the anti-genre readers can enjoy." "This is a great sci-fi to capture the attention of teen readers who will enjoy the fun romp full of intrigue, imaginative scenery, and characters you can care about. This story entertains with the right blend of sci-fi and youthful adventure. Zombie-free, Vampire-free, Sudden Superpower-free. An intelligent piece of work to feed the imagination." "A coming-of-age story as the backdrop of a mystery set in a space opera! An ambitious dramatic undertaking, and one well-executed. The payoff is watching the main characters mature as they grapple with a great alien mystery, one with profound impact on the course of humanity. Highly recommended." "Awesome book! A complex clash of life forms story laced with drama that will keep you invested in wanting to know what happens next! A science grounded, science fiction, "who done it" that transports you to Ohmani." " This has to be one of the best books I have ever read the story is amazing and very creative it has a great plot and the character development is outstanding it's a little slow in the first couple of chapters and gets a little predictable near the end but only for a couple of chapters the rest of the books kept me on my toes trying to guess what's going to happen next Ashley did an amazing job with this book and I can't wait to see what she has planned for her next book I hope that everyone who reads this likes it as much as I did" "Incredible scifi! I couldn't put it down! Especially when Levi got to space. This book is going to be huge one day and I can't wait for the second one. Holy crapola" "I borrowed this book from my daughter and was engaged within the first few pages. The science fiction plot isn't so far fetched that you actually feel like you can be a part of this alternate world. It's easy to invest in the characters and anticipate the twists and turns. It was a science fiction, mystery, and love story all in one. I appreciated the author's writing style as well. The bits of humor trickled here and there were great. The book has made its way around the family. After my daughter and I read it, my husband did as well. We're really looking forward to book two!" "This sci-fi, murder mystery story is unique and well thought out, with plenty of good science bolstering the fiction. The first few chapters find Levi still on earth, trying to handle the emotions of the upcoming move to the terraformed asteroid with typical teen-angst and minimal success. Once he gets to Ohmani, the action really takes off! Murder, mystery, aliens, politics, romance, humor and really great, highly believable sci-fi inspired technology all woven together to create an intriguing world. The author has a good grasp of the rollercoaster ride any coming-of-age teen rides: childish, mature, helpful, selfish, altruistic, self-centered. Loved the surfing description, the learn-to-use-an-Extension scene (vividly hilarious), and the characters, especially the feisty grandma who lives life to the max! Good reading!" "Journey to Ohmani is one of the most creative, smart, and descriptive books I have read in a while. It is a whimsical sci-fi adventure! Very fun and enjoyable to read." "The first novel in Ashley Grapes' series is beyond captivating. I found myself losing sleep because I had to keep reading in order to figure out if my suspicions were correct from the many twists and turns she threw at me. As a fan of mystery and science fiction, I was impressed from beginning to end. And I never found myself struggling to get through any slow parts. She claims she isn't a seasoned author, but her first novel is a direct contradiction to that statement. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series." "Really enjoyed this breezy debut novel, reminded me of some of the early works by Heinlien which were originally written for young adults but proved to be great fun for any sci-fi fan. Good pacing, a mystery to solve and occasional comic relief propels you through an original world that is different enough to keep you entertained by the weirdness of its culturess and technology. Good stuff !" "Excellent book for all ages. Sci-Fi with mystery and intrigue that tweens on up can relate to. The characters are not so far fetched that you can't imagine it might not happen. It could make a great movie!" "This book was an exciting and fast paced read and though I do not read many Science Fiction books, I would enjoy meeting these very personable yet somewhat eccentric characters again if there were to be a sequel. I related to particular characters, who were somewhat sarcastic and a bit challenged in holding their thoughts to themselves. Though I am a senior, I believe this book would appeal to young adults very much. I love the fact that the author introduces scenarios that parallel controversial subject matter of our own world such as environment, power and politics. She also deals with the psychology of intimate relationships to a certain degree that I found totally relevent. She exhibits a sense of humor through the actions of my favorite character, Bockie, the elderly grandmother of Levi, the young heart throb turned hero. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages who enjoy any genre of fiction because it provides drama, action, suspense, romance and comedy. I certainly enjoyed my "Journey to Ohmani"!" |