Jane and the Exodus
Can I just start off by saying how completely and utterly happy I am to be doing this review? When I started Honestly YA, I just wanted to share my love of reading and maybe help fellow bibliophile's and book worms find something new to read. I also wanted to read stories that I wouldn't typically pick out myself and get my feet wet to new reads. I never fooled myself to think I would become a big name reviewer, I never thought I would really be noticed in my corner of the web and I am so super happy to announce that I WAS indeed noticed!
I received an email from T.R. Woodman asking me to read and review his book. Typically this is not a book I would grab on my own. But as those of you who follow this blog know, I have found several books I fell in love with and was ready to dive in hoping that this would be a success. I prayed it would be a success because I was so scared besides excited.
I really, REALLY did not want to read this and hate it and write a bad review. I made a promise to myself to always be honest with my book reviews and what if I hated this book? I did not want to cause embarrassment to this kind author who asked me for a bit of help. Luckily, I loved this book.
A hopeful girl with her eyes on a new world. Her stubborn brother with his heart in the slums. One last chance to save him from a fate worse than death. All Jane wants is to leave unnoticed. To escape this godforsaken planet with her family and start a new life as a colonist. But bullheadedness runs heavy in Jane’s family. Her brother, Tate, won't budge. He refuses to leave, and Jane refuses to leave without him. Her plan is simple. Sneak away from the compound. Travel to the crumbling ruins Tate calls home. Appeal to his older-brotherliness. If that doesn’t work, well, she’ll make big brother wish he had listened to reason. A plan simple enough—or would have been if her father, the leader of the colonists, hadn’t humiliated the most ruthless man in the Senate just days before their shuttles are set to leave. Jane is desperate. The days she thought she had left are now just hours. Jane has to find her brother and return to the compound before any of them are caught, because capture means prison, and prison means DF-23, an extermination camp where the residents pray for death long before it ever comes
Jane and the Exodus is a Sci-Fi book that has strong female characters, an interesting story line and just enough familiarity that made the book relatable. Sometimes I get overly confused when authors make up so many different places and worlds. Heck even I have done that while writing but to see an Audrey Hepburn reference thrown in, to see Colorado mentioned, I was so glad to be able to sit back and really picture what was happening.
This book is exciting! It doesn’t play big on romance which I am thankful for, because you can only read about so many love triangles and falling for the wrong person so many times. This felt fresh and new and thank you Mr. Woodsman for giving us not one but two kick ass female leads. I haven’t quit decided which of the leads I prefer, were they even both supposed to be leads, I wonder or did one characters just accidentally get so much personality that she became a lead?
Both set here on Earth and on a Space station, this book was full of many exciting moments as well as heart breaking ones as well. There is talk about a new world, dealing with the way our world has become, ideas on building better lives but not just ideas but people having ideas, but strong people who work hard to make these ideas happen. These aren’t people who are just waiting around to be saved but who are willing to save themselves.
The plot was well developed that left me craving the next part in the series, the characters were characters that I actually cared about, I can’t stand it when I hate characters in the books I read. I mean there is good hating and there are just characters that could disappear and I could care less. These are characters I do care about what happens.
I have to say that the ending may have stressed me out a little bit. No spoilers here but I NEED book two.
If you like strong characters, a well developed story and plot, adventures, a good villain, exploring, and heck, even a priest, then I highly recommend this book! You will be so glad that you found Jane and the Exodus because I know I am happy it is a part of my life.
For a bit more fun, continue reading below the interview that I did with Travis!
Hi Travis, Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview! Let’s get started shall we?
I’m excited to be a part … thanks for inviting me!
Personal Section:
Question: So, you are from Colorado! I love going to visit there a lot. Really is a beautiful drive from New Mexico into Colorado! I have to know though, are you one of those people from Colorado who thinks they have better green chile than us New Mexicans? Think very carefully before you answer! Just kidding, I don’t even like green chile but I figured it would be a good ice breaker and funny to see how you answer this questions!
Colorado definitely has better green chile, Anita … there’s this great little New Mexican restaurant just down the street from where I grew up … :)
My wife is from Texas, I’m from Colorado, and I have a lot of family from New Mexico … I can’t say with a straight face that Colorado has been green chile when we have to compete with that!
Ok, I will accept that answer! I am more of a red chile person myself, give me a good Frito Pie or Indian Taco and I am good to go!
You said your kids are from Russia! How wonderful! I have a slight obsession with Russia that started when I developed a crush on Russian gymnast Aleksei Nemov. I love Russian ballet and gymnastics and would love to visit Russia someday. My novel I am working on (would be debut I hope) is actually taking place in a fictional Russian town. How many kids do you have? Do you get to visit Russia?
You already have me hooked with the setting for you book, Anita … I can’t wait to read it!
I can understand your obsession with Russia. It is a fascinating country and the people are incredible. There’s such a rich history to the culture too. It’s true that the Russian people are proud, but they are also wonderfully hospitable. On one of our trips we were invited to a wedding, and my wife and I got to spend the day eating chocolate, drinking champagne and getting a tour of all the city’s monuments from people were barely knew. It was incredible!
We have two kids. Our daughter is eleven and our son is seven. Unfortunately we haven’t traveled back to Russia with them, but I’m hopeful that at some point, maybe when they are both teenagers, we’ll get to have that chance.
If I ever get it done you are more than welcome to read it. All that happened with you in Russia?! Wow that just makes me even more excited to go there. As soon as my son is old enough to appreciate it, I am booking a river cruise!
When you aren’t writing, what are other activities that you like to indulge in?
With seven and eleven-year-old kids, their activities have become my activities. But when we find the time, my wife and I also love going out for good food. I can’t tell you how jealous I am that you live in Santa Fe, what a great food town!
We like to travel too. Our trips to Europe are now mostly road trips to American landmarks and parks, and Disneyworld, but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Really though? Is there anything else better than Disney? I am obsessed and now use my son as an excuse to go to Disneyland. I haven't been to Disneyworld yet but someday! and I know about how kids activities become your own, I have my two year old in soccer, swimming, gymnastics and music classes. We just finished physical therapy though so that is one day free!
What is your ideal day?
Ideal day? I’m blessed to get to live my ideal day on most days. My mornings are usually pretty quiet when the kids are in school, so my wife and I will just sit together in our living room. We’ll drink coffee and I’ll write a little and she’ll do something on her tablet.
Things get crazy in the afternoons though, but I have learned to tune out just about anything. I can sit in a karate studio with hundred kids yelling, and still write. So I do. I’ll take one kid and my wife will take the other to their activities, and I’ll squeeze fifteen minutes of writing in here and there.
After the kids are off to bed, my wife and I are back in the living room with a glass of wine, and I’ll write a little more. I suppose the only thing that might make it better is if we were doing all that in Paris, or Maui, but Georgia’s pretty nice too.
That sounds that a wonderful way to spend a day and I am sure Georgia is nice! I have to admit I do have a thing for Southern food and Gone With The Wind MAY be my favorite book of all time... Just though I'd throw that in there and let you know that maybe you aren't the only one jealous here!
Ok maybe I am really jealous. I am a single, stay at home mom with a two year old and have been working on my novel for FIVE years and you have kids who are probably WAY more active than my own and you are already published!
Ok since they just started, I have to ask the World Cup Question. Who are you supporting? Do you agree with the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time? (Ok so the green chile question was a joke but not this one *giving you menacing eyes, daring you to disagree with the Ronaldo question* all I am saying is that if you are a Messi fan, I cannot support you! Just kidding… or am I?)
How do you argue against the guy who scored a hat trick against Spain in a World Cup match? Even I’m considering changing my name to Ronaldo after watching that.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE THIS GUY EVERY BOOK AWARD THERE IS OUT THERE? HE IS THAT WONDERFUL! See? Support Ronaldo and the whole world opens up for you!
Book Questions
What inspired you to write Jane and the Exodus? How long did it take you to write it?
For years, I had these ideas for stories floating around in my head. I have always been a book lover, and I have a crazy-active imagination, but I really hadn’t tried to write a full-length novel. Finally, I had enough of just thinking about it and on a whim, I sat down at my laptop and started to write. Funny enough, once I started, I didn’t want to stop and after about four months of writing evenings and squeezing in fifteen minutes here and there, I had a rough draft of Jane. It was exhilarating, and the sense of accomplishment of finishing something like that … well, it’s hard to describe.
I will take you word for it. I haven't been able to feel that exhilarating sense of accomplishment yet. I did give birth to a stunning baby so does that count? I mean sure you are this fantastic writer who I think will take the Sci-Fi world by storm, but I have a talent too, some where way down buried in me. (looks around) I am good at eating chile! If it isn't too spicy!
At the beginning, Evelyn reminded me of that Disney movie where they made a robot mom, I think it was called Smart House, and the robot wanted to be loved and became evilish. I wondered if Evelyn was going to end up a villain. I won’t say if she did or didn’t but did she come out the way you planned her on being?
When I started writing Jane and the Exodus, I’m not kidding when I say I only knew how it would end. I really had no idea who would show up in the story, and how it would unfold. Every day I would write more of the story, and every day I got excited to write because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
I have done a little more planning for the books I have written since, although I keep the planning simple because the story always turns out different than I expect. Jane is the only book I have written with little structure to start, only knowing how it would end. I saw the story and characters unfold as I wrote. And Evelyn? Well, Evelyn surprised even me.
That is a great answer!
I am probably going to get myself into trouble for saying this but I have never seen Star Wars or Star Trek. I guess I have avoided reading a lot of Sci-Fi because I associate them with those movies and I was never interested, yet JatE was a very rewarding read that I flew through every spare moment that I had. I haven’t read a book this fast since before I became a mom two years ago. Do SW or ST inspire you at all for your writing? If not, what got you so interested in Sci-Fi that you decided to write a series?
Thanks for saying that about the pacing for Jane … I’m glad it was hard for you to put down!
I definitely love both franchises. I grew up on Star Wars and discovered Star Trek when I was in college, and I tend to gravitate toward sci-fi, fantasy and superhero movies on the rare occasion when my wife and I get to go to the movies. But funny enough, I don’t read much hard science fiction.
I have always liked young adult stories, especially those with smart characters and an element of adventure to them, and I love how young adult books tend to have strong, character driven plots. I also like math and science, but for me, I like the science part of the fiction to be more in the background. I like seeing the characters and relationships develop, so even though there is a sci-fi basis to my stories, you could just as easily describe them as not all about the science, fiction.
Maybe it’s just the season of writing I am in, but most of my ideas for stories have some sci-fi basis to them. Just like Jane though, the technology enables the story to unfold, but the story isn’t really about the technology.
True! I think if there was too much tech stuff I would have fallen asleep and not finished the book. So I thank you for that!
You were able to write about characters that I really got emotionally invested in. Jane and Evelyn are awesome, strong female characters. You gave them both great voices and I want to know, was that all you or did your wife help you?
I’m glad you like Jane and Evelyn too. They were so fun to write! Someone who read the story early on asked me why it wasn’t called Jane and Evelyn and the Exodus. They were joking, of course, but it speaks to the relationship between them.
My wife is tremendously supportive of me and my writing. She says she can tell when I’m working on one of my stories because I smile when I write. She has been my greatest cheerleader too and very encouraging. I tell her what I’m working on and run ideas by her, but yeah, the writing is all mine … whatever that implies. :)
That is awesome that your wife is so supportive! But also, congratulations on having the writing being all yours. I am very impressed with how well you can voice females.
How many books are going to end up in your series? I know book two comes out soon and I am beyond excited for this.
I’m really excited for the second book to come out too. Just like Jane, Doppelganger Girl has a sci-fi basis but it really is more about Jane and Evelyn and the challenges they face in the new world. It also has just as many surprises! It will be available in early August.
Right now, I have the series set at four books, and I am almost finished with the rough draft of book 3. Of course, given the fact that I rarely know exactly what will happen until the story unfolds on the page, I just won’t know until it’s over.
Already almost finished with the rough draft for book three? (Hides the half way finished first draft of first book)
That is very exciting that doppelganger Girl and book three are almost ready to be birthed into the world. I know I plan on flying through them.
Do you have plans for more books after this series or between? If so can we expect more Sci-Fi or something new?
I may be short on time, but I’m not short on ideas for stories! I do have several other ideas in the works—a duology, another story with series potential, and then I have a few stand-alone story ideas. The funny thing about writing is the more I write, the more ideas I have. In every story there are always other characters I want to get to know, and then I find myself thinking there’s another adventure there to write.
With the ideas I have now and the series I want to work on, I have about the next three years of stories already planned. A couple of the ideas are less sci-fi and more fantasy, but they all have that thriller or adventure element to them, so hopefully, the pages will just keep turning for my readers.
Well I look forward to all of these ideas and will be continuing to read your new stories.
Thank you for agreeing to this short interview. I look forward to working with you again!
This has been a lot of fun … thanks for inviting me!
