Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: Cosmic Inception
SERIES: Saving Caeorleia #3
AUTHOR: Alicia Nordwell
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 310 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 18, 2016
BLURB:
Their journey will span the universe and back, but there’s no guarantee they’ll make it together.
Though Nick and Fieo are drawn to each other, their relationship has never been easy. Their differences go beyond their races, but they’ve managed to work together to prevent the spread of corruption, growing closer along the way. Nick still battles the effects of years of loneliness, fear, and pain but surprises everyone when he refuses to stay behind when Fieo is sent on a vital mission to find the Collectors. Fieo objects, but there’s no stopping Nick when he sets his mind to something. Over the course of their mission, it becomes clear Nick is more than anyone ever imagined, but the mystery of his past threatens to derail his future.
The search for the truth will take Fieo and Nick far from Caeorleia, to worlds both familiar and completely alien, and put stress on their already tenuous relationship. It’s a journey that will either tear them apart or finally bring them together.
REVIEW:
Oh, I enjoyed this one immensely! Nick was the one character I’ve wondered about and felt bad for throughout the series and I was thrilled to finally get his story. While still dealing with the effects, both mental and physical, of being used and experimented on for years, Nick finds himself leaving his adopted home to go in search of the Collectors, an alien race with knowledge that far surpasses that of any other species. Along the way he not only finds the answers he was seeking, but a lot more, most notably concerning himself and the secrets his family had been running from. Information can either be a blessing or a danger, depending on who has it, and Nick finds it to be both as he and Fieo find themselves struggling to not only save themselves, but their entire planet.
Have I mentioned yet just how much I enjoyed this? Up until now, the most notable thing about Nick was that he’d been terribly hurt and left scarred by the treatment he’d undergone while a prisoner. He was constantly afraid and could barely stand to be in the room with anyone else. Over the course of the book, however, you get to see him undergoing several transformations as he learns to not only trust in himself but also to trust the connection he has with Fieo. (I was also glad to see these two finally come together as Fieo has been orbiting around Nick from the moment they first met.)
While the story seemed fairly straight forward at first, with the pair going from place to place in search of answers, things took several unexpected turns along the way culminating in something so completely unexpected, I was forced to keep reading. Forced, I tell you. Seriously, I was getting ready to go to sleep and then I got smacked in the face with this and there was just no way I’d have been able to put the book down at that point. I regret nothing. Finding out about Nick’s origins was certainly not what I was expecting and it added another layer to an already complex undertaking; I enjoyed every bit! Fieo was pretty much the rock that Nick leaned on throughout the story and I loved how willing he was to put his faith in Nick, even when he was afraid or didn’t understand. I was honestly surprised by how Nick just took charge at certain points though it was great to see, especially with how timid he was in the beginning. These two men just made for a great pairing and I loved how well they fit together.
This story was just full of twists and turns and I never knew what to expect as I read through it; all my expectations were pretty much just blown away. I wouldn’t recommend reading this without having read the first two book in the series, however, as each story builds on the one before it and you’ll need some context gleaned from the first two books to get the most out of the latest installment. I highly recommend you check out the entire series though; I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read and re-read the previous books but I’ve loved them every time. This was a much anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed read; I’m not sure if this is the end of the series, as it certainly could be, (though I really hope its not! Really, I’d let out three cheers and break out the pom poms for another book in this series!) but if it is the last, I’m at least walking away satisfied and happy that Nick and Fieo got their happy ending and a whole lot more. 🙂
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: