This book includes all of the specific things I love: marketing—especially revolutionary new forms of viral marketing as we see with the main character's popularity on the video streaming app FlashFame—and space travel, particularly Mars exploration!

I really enjoyed the story and thought it was unique and exciting. I was hooked and always wanted to know what happened next. I did struggle a bit when it came to the romance in the book because it was very insta-love-y, and they fell head over heels in just a few short weeks. I'm definitely a slowburn kinda gal. But I appreciated how they treated each other and really cared about each other's feelings.

This was fun and I'm glad to add it to my collection of sci-fi YA, and it's made better by the LGBTQ+ representation!

The Space nerd in me absolutely adored The Gravity of Us! I really need more YA books like this one. As a millenial I have no experience of what the space race in the 60s was like but I think this book re-enacted the situation in a modern setting, with the added pressure of live videos, social media and celebrity status, perfectly. 
The author explores social media and media in general and how it can be used and manipulated depending on the users intentions.
The writing was very easy to follow and the inclusion of the transcripts from the aired tv show about the mission, were so fun to read. I listened to parts of the audiobook and the use of a full cast was brilliant for transcripts. 
Overall, The Gravity of Us was a very enjoyable read and I can't wait to read the author's second novel!

Cal wants to be a journalist, and he’s already well underway with almost half a million followers on his FlashFame app and an upcoming internship at Buzzfeed. But his plans are derailed when his pilot father is selected for a highly-publicized NASA mission to Mars. Within days, Cal and his parents leave Brooklyn for hot and humid Houston. With the entire nation desperate for any new information about the astronauts, Cal finds himself thrust in the middle of a media circus. Suddenly his life is more like a reality TV show, with his constantly bickering parents struggling with their roles as the "perfect American family." And then Cal meets Leon, whose mother is another astronaut on the mission, and he finds himself falling head over heels--and fast. They become an oasis for each other amid the craziness of this whole experience. As their relationship grows, so does the frenzy surrounding the Mars mission, and when secrets are revealed about ulterior motives of the program, Cal must find a way to get to the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

I Thought  this was ok. It didn’t leave me jumping up and down but a nice read nonetheless.

This was an odd book for me, I felt like I never became fully invested in the characters and to be honest it was a bit to insta-love for me which is never a trope I enjoy reading. That said there was enough there to keep me reading. A middle of the road read for me and not one I'll be shouting about.

I think, for me, The Gravity of Us was a book that I was drawn to a) because of the gorgeous cover and b) because there was so much hype surrounding it when it was due for release. I gave into the hype, especially because many reviewers whom I trust gave it really high reviews. However, it just wasn't for me.

I liked the friendship between Cal and Deb, I thought that was explored really well. I liked the discussion of mental health. But I didn't like Cal as a person. I saw where he got his selfishness from and I know that it existed to give him some character development, but the character just didn't feel very developed by the end. I love a good book about space, but I don't think space combined with YA and reality TV is a good combination for me. It's not a secret that I dislike books about stardom/reality TV shows.

This didn't work for me, but definitely read around to find reviews from people that might recommend it to you!

Thank you to netgalley, Phil Stamper and Bloomsbury YA for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I did quite enjoy this. The story is quite different - focussing on a NASA Mars mission which is very interesting and the story felt well fleshed out. However I found the main character quite annoying (I suppose because he's a teenager and I'm not!) Some of the decisions he made were just so obviously bad and he's also constantly quite mean to his best friend which got on my nerves a lot. The romance part also felt very fast to me, especially for teens, but that is often something that I'm bothered by so maybe it's just me!

I was really excited to read this because not only is it LGBTQIA+ but its got a slight hint of mystery. I’m really enjoying contemporary lately so this was the perfect time to read this.

In the beginning when Cal finds out he has to drop everything and move to Houston for his dad I felt so bad for him, he had to give up everything but I really liked how after the initial shock he let himself adjust and figure out how to carry on doing what he loves. Cal is pretty oblivious but there was some great character development; he’s pretty much in his own bubble with falling for this new boy he’s just met and doesn’t stop to think about the best friend he left behind in Brooklyn who might also be going through stuff. While I get his dad wanted live his own dream and take a great opportunity, I think he was very selfish for not even giving his wife and child a choice and until almost the end I really didn’t like his dad for this reason.

I really loved the plot of this, I especially liked the little hint of mystery and how Cal goes about finding out things. I thought this was a really nice touch to add to a standard contemporary, it wasn’t so much a plot twist but it was a little something extra. There were also characters dealing with depression and anxiety and I thought this was really nicely written and from my experiences seems very realistic, it really makes it seem like the author has either had these experiences or done the research to write about it accurately, either way it gets points from me. 

I will definitely be recommending this book, although if you’re like me then you will most definitely cry at least once in this book (literally hand to mouth crying moment because something happened I didn’t see coming at all).

This novel is a queer coming of age story and I am living for it. I had seen this book everywhere on social media and I knew that I had to read this! Cal Lewis is looking forward to becoming a journalist and writer. When Cal meets Leon, they face lots of challenges. I adored the relationship between the main protagonists and I felt like I could not put the book down. The plot about NASA and his father took a very interesting turn, I love reading about space projects. They are some of my favourite stories. There is some mental health rep in this story which was an engaging and series part of the story.

Unfortunately I was unable to get in to this story and had to put it down, however, I'm sure it is a highly loved book and appreciated by the right readers.

This was so disappointing. I thought that I was going to love it as it has an m/m romance paired with a NASA-centric plot, but sadly it didn't match my expectations. 

Cal Lewis Jr is an aspiring journalist who has found fame on an app called "FlashFrame". When his dad is offered a job with NASA on the Orpheus V space mission to Mars, the family has to move their lives from New York to Texas. Cal and his family now find themselves at the centre of a media circus that will change all of their lives.

My biggest issue was with the main character, Cal. He was portrayed as being incredibly selfish, and he treated others like crap. It felt like he would use his best friends to gain outcomes that benefitted him, and him only. He also seemed to have the need to fix everyone else's problems, regardless of whether they asked for help. This character trait really grated on me and I ended up not connecting with him at all!
Unfortunately, the romance didn't feel like it had any substance to it. It just happened, and I really didn't like the concept of insta-love. There was no development or build-up with regards to the character's relationship - it all happened far too quickly for me to find it believable. Also, I couldn't stand the parts of FlashFrame and Starwatch. These aspects of the book were really boring for me as I just didn't care.
The mental health rep was fantastic though. Everything was portrayed in a very real manner but they weren't the central point of the story. A big thumbs up for that!

This book definitely wasn't for me but it was lovely to read a book that was different to my norm!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

2.5 stars

When Cal's pilot father is placed on the shortlist for NASA's upcoming Mars mission, Cal's life is turned upside down. 
Uprooted from his life in Brooklyn, Cal and his family move to Texas, disrupting Cal's plans to intern at Buzzfeed and the Brooklyn videos he films on the app FlashFame.
Now one of the families in the NASA reality show, Cal and his parents try to settle into their new lives.
Cal becomes fast friends with Leon, whose mother is an astronaut. The two grow closer and Cal finds himself getting deeper into the social media surrounding the Mars missions.
Will Cal have to give up his dream of being a journalist?

I'll admit that contemporary YA novels aren't my favourites, but the NASA element of this book really intrigued me, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Cal was a mixed character for me, and there were times when I found him quite frustrating and annoying, but I appreciated that he wasn't perfect and there were moments when I did feel sorry for him.
My favourite character was probably Deb and I would have liked to have seen more of her.
I wasn't a big fan of the romance as it was too fast for me - I prefer a slow-burn - but I really liked that it was a M/M romance.
The plot was OK, but I wasn't gripped. I definitely found the NASA elements to be the most interesting thing about the book.
The writing style was easy to follow and I liked that there were some interviews included at the end of the chapters.
I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was an OK read.

This was a nice, light read. Cal is an up and coming social media star in New York- he has nearly half a million followers on Flash Fame, the app where he does his news reports. He has an internship lined up and plans for his future in journalism in New York. That is, until his Dad is announced as the final astronaut on NASA's Mars mission and the family have to move to Texas. Immediately. 
Cal is a difficult character- he is very selfish throughout, even as far as overshadowing his Dad at NASA and ignoring his best friend's problems at home. However, I don't mind this as its a true depiction of a 17 year old- they do tend to think that the world revolves around them! The side characters aren't that well developed, but again, I think this lack adds to Cals character as it shows his lack of awareness of the people around him. 
The representation is decent. I liked the quote from Cal that he experimented with Jeremy to explore his own queerness, which he didn't have a label for himself yet. I think this shows the journey of coming out, its not necessarily a clear road. There is also mental health representation with Cal's mum and Leon. His mum suffers with anxiety and Leon suffers with depression. I wouldn't say they're the best examples of rep ever, but its ok.
Plot wise- I liked the story. You have the bad guys at Star Watch and its a classic David and Goliath tale. 
This is a cute, easy to read fast paced story that I think is a perfect summer read. 4*
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had all the marks of a read that I was going to adore, but sadly ‘The Gravity of Us’ just didn’t pull me in. Part of this was due to not really connecting with Cal, as he often came across as completely selfish and didn’t give any consideration to what was going on with those around him. But the majority of this was due to slightly dubious  issues of consent running throughout.

There are two big instances of this, and they completely marred my enjoyment of the rest of the novel. Firstly, when Cal knows there are cameras on himself and Leon, and that Leon isn’t out, yet chooses to take Leon’s hand and have an intimate moment with him that he knows is being filmed and will eventually be broadcast. Leon is unaware of what’s happening, and only finds out when the footage is released. There’s a brief moment where Leon is horrified about what has happened and the knowledge  that Cal knew and acted with intent, but then it’s completely forgotten about and never discussed or resolved.
The second instance is the entire relationship between Cal’s parents. Cal’s father applies for the space programme without talking to his wife about it at any point. He then uproots the entire family and completely disregards his wife’s anxiety and wishes. Now maybe these are dealt with in conversations that Cal isn’t privy too, but it doesn’t seem like it, and the entire portrayal left me with a bad aftertaste.

The idea is intriguing, but it never really flies. I wanted to like it so much, but ultimately I just felt frustrated and disheartened by the issues I’ve outlined above, and they coloured my overall enjoyment of the book.

I absolutely adored The GRAVITY OF US!

The love story was ADORABLE. The social media aspects of the story were relevant and interesting, and the setting was immersive. It touched upon mental health in a positive, realistic and informative way, between both Leon and Cal's mother's character arcs, and it carried some incredible messages and themes about staying true to yourself, following your dreams, and doing the right thing.

Plus, I'm a sucker for ALL THINGS NASA-RELATED, so the entire premise -- revolving around missions to Mars and astronaut training -- was right up my alley.

This book is an homage to all things science-related and all things journalism-related. It's cute, it's fresh, it's light, it's fun, and I LOVED it. 

Definitely check this title out -- it's a fantastic read, for both a cute summer romance AND an all-around-amazing novel!

This wasn't a bad book by any means but somehow it disappointed me. I think it's the fact that I spent half the book thinking it was just a fluffy young adult boy romance with a gimmick before the real plot actually reared its head. I would've been disappointed were it just fluff because the premise would've been wasted but also, I'd resigned myself to it being fluff by the time it revealed itself to not be, so I was disappointed in both ways.

Cal is super boring as a main character. He's oddly bland - he wants to be a a journalist and he fancies Leon. Those are the tenets of his personality. He enjoys cassette tapes because he's a hipster and something to do with a dead aunt. Leon seemed exciting by comparison but it turns out he's dull too - he has depression and doesn't want to be a professional gymnast. At least Cal has an aspiration. Leon either goes along with what Cal is doing or he sulks at home and ignores Cal and causes internal strife for Cal. He doesn't really do anything else.

The astronaut stuff was interesting enough, but not knowing anything about it myself made me unsure which parts were real life and which parts were made up. My fault really, for never caring much about the history of spaceflight.

This was such a cute book! The cover was the first thing that drew my eye, it's so pretty! This book is a great light-hearted read for summer. Though be warned, it does deal with some talk of mental health and family fights, but there's always hope at the end of the tunnel.

I really enjoyed reading this book! The Sci-fi element and setting was so unique and it felt very fresh to me. I also thought the relationship between the two main characters was so compelling, and I loved watching their growth and character development. Everything in this book felt so tender and genuine, even in the most dramatic moments. I was entertained from start to finish, and just really loved reading the gravity of us!

Throughout June, GeekMom has been celebrating Pride Month with lots of LGBTQ content. Follow the Pride Month tag to find all the content in one space and keep checking back for more throughout the month. Today’s book review is The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper.

The Gravity of Us is a YA novel set in the not-too-distant future when NASA is on the verge of launching the first manned mission to Mars. Calvin Lewis Jr. is a 17-year-old boy living in Brooklyn in the apartment above his best friend Deb. An avid planner, Cal has precisely mapped out his life for the next few years with the end goal of becoming a professional journalist. He has already converted his existing online fame on the popular video streaming platform FlashFame into an upcoming highly sought-after internship at BuzzFeed, and he has started a list of college applications for where he plans to move to with Deb.

All that planning is thrown a curveball, however, when his father – a commercial pilot – secures the final place among the Orpheus 20, a batch of new astronaut recruits who will be part of the Orpheus missions to Mars. Cal and his family are immediately uprooted and moved to Clear Lake, Texas, to live in a retro ’60s-themed community with the other astronaut families as NASA attempts to recreate the golden age of the space program in hopes of maintaining public interest (and funding) for the program. Worse, media coverage of the program, the families, and their lives, is controlled by StarWatch, a TV show more interested in showcasing drama than covering any of the real science going on, and they’ve told Cal he can’t continue his FlashFame channel. His carefully planned future appears to be crumbling away in a matter of days.

An indignant Cal decides that he won’t be controlled and continues his channel anyway, despite increasingly serious official warnings. Even better, he meets the adorably handsome Leon Tucker and his sister Kat – the teenage kids of another astronaut in the Orpheus program. Cal and Leon immediately hit it off, despite Leon’s depression and Cal’s increasing anxiety at having his future plans wiped away. As StarWatch becomes ever more manipulative, Cal decides to take matters into his own hands and prevent StarWatch from ruining his burgeoning relationship with Leon and even the future of the Orpheus missions.

I held The Gravity of Us for the final installment of our Pride Month series because I wanted to save the best for last. I absolutely fell in love with this book and am already hoping for a sequel. Cal is an instantly likable character despite his flaws and I found myself rooting for him from the get-go. I understood his frustration and anxiety at being ripped away from his life and his future because of his father, who initially doesn’t understand why his family is so resistant to him following his dream. There’s some fantastic character development within Cal’s family as all three of them begin to understand one another’s perspective about this new life they are living.

Another thing I loved was how much science content there was. This is no The Martian, but the book doesn’t shy away from talking about the mission Cal’s dad is working toward and Cal’s increasing interest in it. This, coupled with Cal’s desire to showcase the science side of NASA over the drama favored by StarWatch, makes this a genuinely interesting book. I was – like Cal’s dad – born in the ’80s so I missed out on the excitement of the Apollo program where the whole country came together to follow the missions. The Gravity of Us made me feel incredibly excited at the prospect of that happening again in my lifetime, with a potential real-life manned mission to Mars on the horizon.

The relationship between Cal and Leon does smack of instalove, but the characters are well-written enough that I was able to overlook it. There were also more than a few eye-rolling moments in the overall plot, particularly toward the end, but again I was enjoying the story enough to simply roll with it. StarWatch makes for an interesting antagonist although there were a few moments where I thought the story was hinting at their actions being even more heinous than they were, only for that trail to go nowhere. As awful as it would have been, I feel like that version of the story could have been even more exciting and certainly more dramatic.

The Gravity of Us has been one of my favorite books of the year so far and I devoured it in just two sittings. It is both a cute, LGBTQ love story and an enjoyable YA drama that dips a toe into science fiction. Because of that, I imagine it could find wide-ranging appeal and I would recommend it to anyone with a love of space travel and/or contemporary romance.

If you’re interested in more Mars content, GeekMom will be running Mars Month throughout July to celebrate the imminent launch of the Perseverance rover so please keep checking back for more.

GeekMom received a copy of this book for review purposes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I LOVED THIS. The story is great, the characters jump right off the page and the emphasis on diversity and inclusion is sorely needed. It was so nice to hear a positive story about space exploration, especially one that also included a queer love story. Love love love.

I really wanted to love this one. This is my second time reading/ trying to get into this book and this time around I got about halfway through and ended up skimming the rest. Whilst the premise was awesome I just couldn’t really seem to connect to any of the characters. Cal just irritated me and his whole online, social media platformed seemed a little ‘fluffy’, its hard to put into words what I am trying to say but to attempt to sum it up, it just came across as very unrealistic. Another aspect of this book in which sat uneasy with me was the romance, and whilst I loved the love interest - Leon, I just found their relationship kind of came out of nowhere, there wasn’t much of a build up and while I am not saying love at first sight can’t be a thing I just felt like there wasn’t much development and things just happened. It kinda made me put the book down and think huh, what. By this point I was only 80 pages in. Whilst this book personally wasn’t my favourite I feel as thought definitely has potential for others. This story felt so rushed to me and it was a bit cheesey. The characters, pacing and the development sadly didn’t sit well with me. However I feel as though if I were to re-read this in the future, in a different headspace ,with no expectations it would be a different outcome.