Book Review: Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson

Title: Goddess in the Machine
Author: Lora Beth Johnson
Genre: YA Sci-fi / Fantasy
Publication Date: June 30th, 2020
Publisher: Razorbill

Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher for a finished copy of the book.

“When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.

Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists—including her family and friends—are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.

Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne—if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.

With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?” (Goodreads)

Sci-fi is definitely a genre that can be hit or miss for me. It’s also a genre I don’t read often because of that. I was very interested in reading this one because the cover is gorgeous and it felt similar, based on blurb, to other books I have read previously. Goddess in the Machine was good but it just lacked in a couple departments for me.

This book is split into two point-of-views: Andra and Zhade. They both have lived completely different lives and also one has been asleep for a thousand years. That definitely puts her at a disadvantage for understanding the world. I didn’t dislike them but I just didn’t find myself connecting with them either.

The other characters in the book are fine too but some were lacking development more than others.

The world that the author created is interesting but it did in ways remind me of the DEV1AT3 series by Jay Kristoff. That was probably in part to the planet being a wasteland and the language they spoke.

The goddess parts were probably my favorite parts to read about because I’m always interested in what people are believing. There was a lot of intrigue and secrets so it did keep my attention even if it certain parts of it was obvious for plot twist reveals.

When it came to the other plot twists, I just didn’t find myself shocked like I know I should’ve been. 🤷‍♀️ The nano bots though, super crazy!

As for the romance, I wouldn’t say it was insta-love but it kind of felt that way. It is on the slower side but I don’t know. I just didn’t care for it.

Overall, it may not seem like it from this review but I did like most of the plot. It just didn’t blow me away. I know that there will be many that love this book. I’m not sure if I will read the next book or not. This one did leave off with a cliffhanger but I’m not convinced enough.