Book review: Killing Gravity

Killing Gravity (The Voidwitch Saga #1), by Corey J. White

Description: (from Macmillan)

Before she escaped in a bloody coup, MEPHISTO transformed Mariam Xi into a deadly voidwitch. Their training left her with terrifying capabilities, a fierce sense of independence, a deficit of trust, and an experimental pet named Seven. She’s spent her life on the run, but the boogeymen from her past are catching up with her. An encounter with a bounty hunter has left her hanging helpless in a dying spaceship, dependent on the mercy of strangers.

Penned in on all sides, Mariam chases rumors to find the one who sold her out. To discover the truth and defeat her pursuers, she’ll have to stare into the abyss and find the secrets of her past, her future, and her terrifying potential.

Expected publication: May 9th 2017
A review copy (e-galley) of this book was provided by the publisher. Some things might change in the final copy.

I loved this novella so much I can’t find the words, so this will be short, but know that I had the greatest time while reading it. I mean, it is set in space and the protagonist has killer powers linked to gravity!

Out of the 106 pages (on my ereader) of this novella, I bookmarked 24 of them. While re-reading those bookmarked pages for this review, I kept on reading a few more again and again : so basically I almost read Killing Gravity twice, which is a first for me for an eARC. I also highlighted so many quotes, it was so difficult to choose only some of them to put in here.

About the story : as a child, Mars was sold to a lab where atrocious experiences where led on young girls and escaped years later with someone she thought was her friend. She finds herself with destructive powers sought after by a military man, mad that she got away.
It is a story about finding out who she is and what to do now that she’s “free” of that awful lab planet, about learning to trust again and appreciate the beauty of the universe she lives in, and finding out some answers for what happened to her.

“I’m about to yell something really badass – just as soon as it comes to me – when the station’s public broadcast system starts up. That’s all that’s needed to set chaos in motion.”

The cast of character is small and I got quite attached to all of them quite fast. I understand why so many people compared it to Firefly, but I feel it might be even stronger in the following volume.

The main characters:

• Mars (or Mariam Xi) is a “voidwitch”, she can countrol gravity and destroy someone from the flick of her wrist, or her mind.
  

  “Void-damned space witch,” Mookie says, breathless. He sounds impressed rather than freaked out, but still I say, “Don’t fucking call me that.”

• Seven is some sort of weird cat who suffered from experiences at the hand of the same scientists she did.
• Squid is the ship captain’s, uing the pronoun “they/them”.
• Trix is the muscle of the team, she’s ready to destroy anyone who touches her ship or crewmates.
• Mookie is a deserter from the military, in a relationship with Trix.

“The only talents she’s shown are sleeping and bringing trouble down on us,” Trix says, but she sounds uncertain, and I’m guessing my little telekinetic display unsettled her.”

Mars is ready to kill to get away from those responsible for her state, but she is also unsecure and loath the idea to rely on someone else for her survival. Especially since she knows she’s doomed to kill and spread blood and guts everywhere she goes.

“I walk to the other set of ventilators; the floor is sticky beneath my feet: more blood than I expected, especially since I didn’t go full-murderous on them.”

I’m really looking forward to more stories with these characters. Since it is being released on May 9th, I’m putting it on my birthday wishlist because woooow I want to read that a third time in its final form!

“An echoing doozh sounds through the ship, and my heart rate spikes so high that my Head-Up Display flashes a warning – as though a pulsing red exclamation mark is going to help me relax.”

That cover is also one of my new favourite! Maybe my favourite cover for 2017? Here is the cover reveal on the author’s website, and the website of the artist! And since I read it in January, the cover is still on my phone wallpaper: