Book Review: Taste of Sky

“Most women fall for engineers, doctors, lawyers, architects and businessmen but in my case? I fell in love with an astronaut.”

“Aer Respirare Cum Finis”

I am a woman breathing the air with purpose.

Allow me to open your eyes leading the way that truly touches the reality sky.

  Taste of Sky is a book written by VentreCanard (pen name) from an online application Wattpad. This fictional story was inspired by Typhoon Haiyan (known as Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines during the year 2013). It’s a science fiction story with a touch of romance. Consist of 79 chapters and the language used is Taglish (Tagalog and English). Published online in the year 2018.

This book deserves millions of reads. The readers should explore more. They shouldn’t stick to one genre. There are lot of undiscovered books that are worth reading like this story.

Unveil their unexpected journeys saving the entire humanity.

VentreCanard (pen name) is a Filipino author in Wattpad. She has more than 518 thousand followers on her Wattpad account and published 17 stories online.  

She published two romance books cutted each story by two parts entitled In The Arms of Five Hot Jerks Book 1 (part 1 and 2) and Back in His Arms again (part 1 and 2) under Fairy Publishing House (FPH).  It’s a trilogy series book, however she didn’t publish the part three of the series Embracing Arms.

She joined Wattpad in the year April 30, 2014. That was 5 years ago. She wrote the Taste of Sky even though she is new to the genre, science fiction.

“This story isn’t perfect, number of flaws, errors, and everything. But I was motivated to write this story not because I want to be seen as perfect, that I am good, genius, flexible for different genres or whatever praises a writer could have. I was motivated to write this story because I was inspired.”

  “I took the risk. Honestly, sa lahat ng on-going stories ko TOS (taste of sky) ang pinaka-kakaunti ang nagbabasa. Few comments and all, of course who would prefer this kind of story? Karamihan gusto romance, karamihan gusto kilig. But that doesn’t stop me from writing this story. My motivation isn’t the number of readers; my motivation is to write numbers of inspirational stories.”

 “I think with my heart. Yes, I got errors, a lot. Alam ko po ‘yon, but I am willing to learn. To develop. I’ll grow with my heart and passion, but it will take time,” ventrecanard said to her readers.

Her ending note at the epilogue of the Taste of Sky is very inspirational. It really shows her compassion to do things she likes. She admitted that she’s not a perfect writer, but she believes in herself and she’s a brave one. She writes not for fame, but because she wants to inspire others.

Her story Taste of Sky touch my heart, and even drowned me. She’s one of my favorite author in Wattpad and Taste of Sky is one of my favorite story. It’s unique. I’ve never read a book about the journey of a flight lieutenant woman and a space commander man.

And also the book is informative, it is practical to read because it discusses about how UASA or NASA in real life works. How government protect their country. And it will definitely make you realize that we must protect Earth and we must change our negative ways, because we are abusing our planet, our home.

The story is all about a woman named Pilot Officer Behati Azalea Monzanto.  She was a miracle baby. She was a former CPA, and ex-soldier. Tacloban, Leyte is her province. Behati’s parent and her siblings died during the Typhoon Yolanda. She lives with her cousin, Allison. This is the place where Behati first meet Commander Rylandrien Peter Armstrong a man that will melt her cold and icy walls and a man that will shatter her own principle that aircrafts are better than men. Peter was a volunteer during that day.  This is also the city she wants to get marry someday. The place where she was born, the place where she cried the most and lose her hope, because she wants to create new light and she wants Tacloban to witness that she’s not fragile anymore, and she became stronger than before.

Behati aspired to become a Flight Lieutenant of the next Project Mars of Universal Aeronautics and Space Administration (UASA). UASAis one of the setting in the story. This organization is the place where technology and human brain creates impossible things. It is a place with thousands of discoveries, yet with infinite questions left to be answered. This place is not only for intelligent one but also for the people who have incredible ability and high capacity to save our planet Earth.

A series of earthquake occurred in Myanmar, so the UASA sent their research and intelligence team and Behati leads the flight, together with Peter in Myanmar Air Force Base, Myitkyina. During their stay, unknown aircrafts targeted the Myanmar base (terrorist). Behati fight them although she’s just an UASA pilot not a war pilot. She and Peter fought for peace, for people and for life. They successfully protect the innocent people in Myanmar. An earthquake and tsunami happened in Thailand, Khaolak Orchid Beach, during their vacation. Behati saved the people that are left behind in the beach, while Peter is in charge of evacuating others. Behati failed to saved everyone, one of them is the father of a small kid, Aaron.

The satellites are failing. As a solution they use the invention of Engineer Wright. One of their mission is to find the Former President Jacobo Gucci Valenzuela. The Santa Maria Volcano in Guatemala City erupted when they arrived. They need to save the six former presidents, because their biometrics identifications are needed to launch the satellite, Engineer Wright’s invention. They execute the mission successfully. Behati was called as the ‘Woman of Hope’.

Behati and Peter went to Mars. Before that, they replace the three satellites using the invention of Engineer Wright. During their stay in Mars, Peter and Graham Bells planned a surprise proposal for Behati. Behati and Peter got married. They are the first couple in Mars. However, they received an information that an enormous asteroid, bigger than the planet is about to hit the planet Earth.  They need to execute a plan to destroy the asteroid that might destroy Earth. Peter sacrifice himself to save Earth. Before they go to Mars their mothership was sabotage by Shiela Wilson, who is in charge of making the Marsian 7832 (mothership). She knows that an asteroid will hit the Earth and she didn’t inform the UASA, instead of creating an explosive device she made the ship to self-destruct. That’s why Peter sacrifice his own life. Behati felt empty. She wants to go with Peter, but Peter didn’t let her. She needs to command all the flight team to destroy the shattered asteroids, so it will not enter the Earth.

At the end of the story, Behati gave birth to their child, Gravint Skynard and she didn’t know that Peter completed the adoption paper for Aaron. Behati quit her job, she became a teacher. And she raise her two children alone, but she know that every time she look at the sky she sees the blue eyes of her Peter. She knows he is always there.

Taste of Sky really amazed me. The theme is science fiction, and although the author is new to this genre, she justified and ended the story well. The love story of the two protagonists are not very cliché. It’s not a typical romance. I’m a reader that didn’t like romance, but this story made me love their story.

While reading this book I felt I’m in a roller coaster. I’ve experience different emotions, which is very important to achieve if you’re a writer. The writing is first point of view, the view of the protagonist, Behati. The vocabularies used are complex. It’s educational. I’ve got a lot of favorites lines in the book. The language used are Tagalog and English. The writer describes each character with authenticity. She didn’t fully introduce the protagonist in the prologue, which is good. Every chapter, she reveals the personalities of the characters, especially the two protagonists.  The flow of the story is very clear and precise. The story shows the development of the characters. Even the antagonists, if you are reading the book, every time you here the antagonist name I’ll assure you that your blood will boil because of anger.

Although the story is unrealistic for us because it’s science fiction, it still makes you feel that the main character is you. You’ll feel the emotions of the protagonist. The book is not boring, actually I’ve finished the book in just 3 days. When you read it you’ll definitely can’t stop reading. It’s very addicting. You won’t get bored.

I thought they will live happily ever after; like the other books I’ve read. However, the male lead died. It really breaks my heart although I’m not the female lead. Although it’s a tragic ending, it didn’t disappoint me. It justifies the ending.

Overall, the book is beyond my expectation. The book is very highly recommended. Everything you need is in this book. It will give you pain, happiness, anxiety, anger and many more. The book is full of wisdom. The book will make you realize there are people who are willing to protect us more than their lives.