I was unfortunately really disappointed by the execution of The Gravity of Us. It was such an interesting premise, with a lot of potential, and some great moments. But, I never really connected to the protagonist -- or any of the characters -- the relationships, or the plot. On the one hand, the book felt far too short for what it was trying to achieve; on the other, if it had been any longer... I don't know if i'd have finished it. It just feel like we were only getting snippets from a much bigger and more cohesive story, that I would have been pretty interested to read.

Everything's very melodramatic, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in it's essence (especially as part of the book's focus is on a reality TV show) but it just didn't feel earned. I wasn't emotionally affected or invested in any of the major plot moments or twists. There were so many parts to this story that didn't get enough scene time, so I just didn't care. And it wasn't a confusing story but I even found myself getting confused at times! There were a lot of tertiary characters who I'd forget, or mix up with another character. The romance could have been good, despite being insta-love, if we'd actually got to see more of it happening!

I didn't enjoy the writing style all that much. I found some of the dialogue, and some of Cal's inner monologue, very cheesy. And the social media story-line just didn't feel realistic. There was some disparity between how "famous" Cal was, and the views he was getting, and the opportunities he was getting, and the reactions from NASA and StarWatch. Ultimately I just didn't like Cal's attitude, especially when it came to this aspect.

As I mentioned, the book had some really great moments, especially towards the end, I just wish these had been earned, and that the rest of the book had been able to back these up. They were moments I wanted to feel moved by or excited by but I just wasn't quite there.

The Gravity Of Us is a love letter to all things space travel and i really really enjoyed it.

The book follows Cal who's New York City life is uprooted when his dad gets selected for a publicised NASA mission to mars. The whole family head for Houston, Texas meaning that Cal may have to leave his dreams of being a journalist behind.

When the family arrive in Houston, Cal finds himself thrust in the middle of a media circus. With NASA's publicity team policing everything he does, his life feels more like a reality TV show.

Then Cal meets Leon, whose mother is another astronaut on the mission, and he finds himself falling head over hells. They become an oasis for each other amid the craziness of the whole experience. As their relationship grows, so does the frenzy surrounding the Mars mission, and when secrets are revealed about the 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.

One of my favourite things about this book was the discussion on Mental Health. Cal's mother has Anxiety and Leon has depression and both characters go on a journey throughout the book and learn how to cope. I really liked that this book advocates for getting therapy for mental health issues. Too often in YA books i feel like a characters mental illness just goes away because they fall in love or whatever, but that was not the case here. I think this book definitely teaches its audience that mental illness doesn't make you broken, but it's also okay and often beneficial to seek professional help.

"People aren't broken, and therapists couldn't fix them if they were. But maybe someone can make things a little better, or help them be a little happier."

This book also goes into lots of detail about the space mission which i found really interesting. It really made me think, not only about the importance of space exploration and the work that goes into it but also about the impact that it can have on the families of astronauts. Not having any contact with a parent who has gone to space is crazy to me! I think anyone who is even slightly interested in space exploration should give this book a go because that aspect plays a huge part in this book.

I also really enjoyed the social media aspect of this book. Cal has a huge following on a live streaming social media app which I thought made the book very up to date and interesting.

The relationship between Cal and Leon was nice as well. I wasn't overly invested in it but it felt realistic for me and I was definitely rooting for them to make things work. I also liked how this book had a LGBT couple who didn't face any homophobia or negative responses to their relationship. Often in books with LGBT characters there is opposition to the relationship, and while i think it's important to tell stories about the struggles LGBT people may face when coming out etc. it also nice to have stories where they can just exist and be treated like any other relationship.

However, one issue I had with this book is that it is very slow starting, the story didn't pick up for me until at least the halfway mark. But after that it was very enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in NASA and space exploration and who is looking for a fun read.

*huge thank you to Bloomsbury YA for sending me a finished copy to review

I'm enjoying finding more books like this with LGBTQ+ relationships but without the sexuality of the characters being the main focus of the narrative (those stories are obviously still very much needed too).
I loved the central premise of the family having to move due to the Mars mission, and the exploration of family dynamics within that context, as well as the added scrutiny of the world's media. Adding in Cal's social media fame keeps it feeling modern, and gives him some influence over events, in contrast to Leon's lack of any control over his life.
I'd have liked to see a bit more depth of feelings about the enormity of the mission, and the thought of a parent potentially being fired into space, visiting another planet, and not returning for two years! Cal Jr often seemed incredibly self-absorbed - which is not wholly unexpected given his age, and he does grow and change through the book somewhat - and perhaps a bit cliché cool with his Brooklyn style and retro tape cassettes!
Overall I did enjoy the book and the interesting way it combined family, coming of age and modern media, but struggled to really warm to Cal and found the pacing of the central relationship a little confusing at times.
I know a lot of my students will absolutely love this book, and it will definitely be going on our school library shelves!

Sadly I didn't finish this book, perhaps it wasn't the right time for me to read it. But I just couldn't connect with the characters or writing style.

This story follows Calvin, whose father is chosen to be the last astronaut on the Orpheus project to Mars. Cal is a teen from Brooklyn, a social media video journalist who aspires to be real and honest with his viewers. He gets uprooted from his home to live in Texas and potentially give up his journalism dream and all his plans.

The premise of this story is awesome. It's about space and it has a gay couple of two astrokids. But the writing feels bland. I didn't like the style of it. It felt too simple, jumped from one topic and emotion to the next too suddenly, it was jagged. Some things only appeared to be convenient to the plot, others outright unnecessary overall. The romance seemed to exist for the sake of existing, came into existence from nothing and was difficult to get behind, which made me so extremely sad. There were characters that appeared and disappeared, were missing and came back and you never really knew the why and where and what. I was left without answers.

Now, the story wasn't bad. The plot was fast-paced. I liked the journalism aspect, it felt real and quite authentic. I liked most of Cal's reports and coverages. I appreciated the idea of a media circus being covered and all types of mental health concerns (and the fact the characters were mentioned to have therapy for or seek it out). I appreciated the "i don't know what's up next and that's okay" subplot. And how a kiss won't make someone's depression go away.

There were many really great elements to the book. Unfortunately, put together, the writing and the jumpiness of it brought the enjoyment levels down quite a bit for me. All things considered, I was left with a meh.

Romance isn't usually my genre but i found myself very charmed by this book.
I loved Cal as a character and thought he was very endearing.
Having NASA as a backdrop to this story really grounded it for me and made it more dimensional than your typical romance novel.
If you're a fan of the genre you'll love this but i would encourage even those who aren't to pick this up.

I am so grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, Bloomsbury, for providing me with a copy of The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper.

Well everyone, this book was amazing. I am in love with all things NASA and astronauts but I have found very few books about that subject that I have enjoyed, The Gravity of Us blew me out of the water. This book follows Cal, a planner who has his future all figured out starting with his Buzzfeed Internship that he got thanks to his uploads to an app called FlashFame - a take on YouTube - but his future is thrown in the air when his father announces that he is the final astronaut for a mission to Mars with NASA, moving them from their apartment in Brooklyn to Texas. Where Cal - who likes girls and boys - is concerned about how he can be himself.

The Gravity of Us covers sexuality in a way that shows that not putting a label on yourself is normal and also okay! Stamper covers mental heath with a different character in a way that was incredibly refreshing, the character has depression and sets boundaries for the relationship because he wants to be all in, but he isn't going to get better overnight, and Cal is okay with this. This book covers both those subjects perfectly and in a way that is not only realistic but also relatable.

The added bonus that Cal uploads live videos about his life but more recently about NASA and the unseen side is that for the most part, it is very current. I watch many YouTubers who upload videos about their lives or interviews with celebrities, etc.

All in all, these subjects came together seamlessly with the backdrop of NASA, politics and reality TV, this book is definitely one to buy upon release! Plus if you enjoy books by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, this is definitely one for you!

The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper is a great YA novel. I really enjoy that queer representation is really taking off in novels. I personally love diverse reads.

The book really highlights how reliant society has become towards social media. We use it so much, at times the novel made me feel uncomfortable about how much time I even spend on social media. I feel this may have been deliberate.

I feel this is such a great YA romance that I would recommend to any YA reader.

The battle between StarWatch and NASA was really exciting in this book. It was fascinating to see how the media took certain events in the story and twisted them to their own benefit. However, it was never one hundred percent clear why StarWatch wanted to see NASA fail, when their own work was reliant on the organisation to keep running. I understand that drama increased their viewership but in terms of their longevity, it wasn't a particularly smart move.

I loved that we get to see the actual relationship between Cal and Leon as well. Too often, books have a "will they, won't they" approach, with the characters only getting together at the end. I was expecting to see more of this approach, so it was really nice to actually see them in a relationship through most of the book.

Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend it.

I really wanted so desperately to love this book. I’ve been massively anticipating it since it was first announced but I just didn’t love it.

I thought the writing was really good and flowed really well. The author clearly loved writing this book and it truly shows in the writing!

Unfortunately, this book just fell flat for me. Cal was one of the most self centred, selfish main characters I have read for a very long time. Somebody honestly needs to tell him that the world doesn’t revolve around him. He did some things and said some things that were horrific and I really did not like his character at all.

Also, the story just felt so unrealistic. Especially with the space mission and Cal, I know that social media is a massive part of our lives but honestly, it felt so unrealistic and disjointed. And, even though it is a short book I found a lot of it quite boring.

Another thing, I wanted to love was the romance but it was so rushed. I can’t cope with instalove, it doesn’t work and makes the romance feel completely disconnected and this was no different.

I will say that I loved Leon as a character but I wanted to know more about him! He deserves so much more development than he actually got but I did really like him. Also, I’m glad that there was some depression rep here because it’s always important.

Also, have to praise the fact that we had an adult, a parent figure with anxiety because we hardly see that in YA.

Overall, this book fell flat and I’m sad.

Guys, mark the 14th of May in red in your calendars, because this book is going to be a big one!

17-year-old, Brooklyn hipster Cal wants to be a journalist. He is well on his way, with half a million followers and a Buzzfeed internship lined up. But his life is turned around when his Dad is selected for the first Nasa mission to send people to Mars, and they have to leave New York for provincial and conservative Houston, Texas. The publicity of the mission means that his whole family will be thrown into the spotlight. In between interviews and growing tension in his family, he meets Leon, the son of another astronaut, and finds himself falling for him, fast. But when the constant pressure of the cameras around the astronauts' houses threatens to impact the mission Cal may be the only one who can save it.

I loved this book. Loved loved loved it. It owns my entire heart, and even days later I find myself thinking about it.
Perhaps the most perfect thing about it are the characters. Cal is such a wonderful narrator, the narrative voice effortless and completely in character. He is confident but has self-doubts, knows what he wants from life but isn't sure if it will be possible to achieve it. He tries his best but is aware of his flaws, and admits when he's made mistakes. All in all, Cal is such a well-rounded character, completely believable, and I felt myself rooting for him so much.

I adored the love story in this book. It is written so beautifully you feel your own heart ache. Leon is such an incredible character, too, written not as perfect but as complex and hesitant, in many ways Cal's opposite. It was so great to see both of them learning to understand each other, and to come to terms with the fact that, on some issues, they would always disagree.

I was so happy to see characters talk openly about mental health issues in this book, and not in a "problem to be fixed" sort of way, but in a "this is part of my life and you all have to accept that" sort of way. Whether Leon talks about his depression, or Cal adapts his behaviour due to his mother's anxiety, the open, straightforward and unapologetic way the characters talk about these issues is so great to read.

And the setting. The setting! I'll be honest, the moment I realized this book was centred around NASA's mars mission I was a goner. Phil Stamper brings across the excitement and novelty of a space mission so well, and by the end I was almost forgetting that this wasn't a real story. So many interesting space facts are mixed in with the story, and there is a very interesting discussion about the morality of funding space missions when other government branches are severely underfunded.

The final thing I want to talk about is the way the book displays social media. Frowned upon by many, Cal keeps insisting that what he does on social media apps is "real" journalism and can make a difference, and proves again and again the impact he has on real life issues. Social media journalism is something that very many people still shrug off, but that is gaining more and more importance, especially with younger people. This is the first book I've read that talks so directly about this subject, and I absolutely loved the approach, and the resolution!!

All in all--please do yourself a favour and pre-order this book right now. I recommend it with my entire heart, and would give it a hundred stars if I could.

Reading The Gravity of Us whilst listening to Fiona Apple's 'Cosmonauts' felt like an absolutely wonderfully timed coincidence; the stars aligned (pun intended).

This book is absolutely amazing, and feels like exactly what I needed right now given the state of the world. Phil Stamper's writing is addictive and wonderfully easy to read- I was hooked by the end of chapter one. I loved the exploration of mental health, and how easy it can be to fall into the trap of thinking that we need to - and can - fix people. The truth is that we can't, and Cal realised that throughout the book, and it was nice to see his growth.

Speaking of, Cal was an amazing protagonist- a 17 year old, up-and-coming reporter who world shifts when his dad is chosen as NASA's final astronaut for the Mars mission. Cal is flawed, and that's what makes him relatable.

The romance was incredibly endearing, and the scene of their almost-first kiss was absolutely perfect (view spoiler). My only complaint is how quickly we got to the I-love-you's, but I guess that's part of being seventeen.

Overall this was a very cute novel about a budding romance with the backdrop of a Mars mission- I found myself enjoying the space exploration side just as much as their developing relationship, and am definitely looking forward to whatever Phil Stamper releases next!

Actual rating: 4.5/5.

Cal is a teenager who is popular on social media for his news channel. But when his Dad is recruited by NASA as a potential member of the first crewed spacecraft to Mars, the family must move to Houston - completely upending Cal's plans.

I thought the book started strong, and I liked Cal. He was passionate and driven, and although he was understandable devastated by the move, I do like that he grew as a character and allowed himself to come to terms with it. Sometimes along the way, he was unbearably annoying, but by the end I was back to (mostly) liking him again. Leon is such a brilliant love interest, and I adored the exploration of first loves. I think Leon was the standout character for me!

Another aspect of the book that I really liked was the science. The detail that had been put into creating a story and events that sounded believable was brilliant - this contemporary sci fi was definitely a winner.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and will be submitted to Amazon after release.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader however this story intrigued me. I absolutely loved it, truly one of the best books I have read. I am extremely pleased and grateful to both for opening up my mind to something totally different.

This is another of those books I wish had been around when I was a teenager. The romance is cute, the drama isn't too overblown given the context, and the ending is very satisfying. However, this is more than an enjoyable fluff piece, with some interesting critique of modern media and how, in some ways, it's not so modern after all.

Cal, the 17-year-old protagonist of this book, is a feisty 'FlashFame' new media personality whose life is turned upside down by his father's involvement with a NASA mission to Mars. I'm too old to judge fully whether Cal is authentic as a teenage New Yorker and Digital Native, but at times his personality did seem perhaps a little on the nose; he listens to cassettes because he claims they 'sound smoother' and he rolls his eyes at old people and their poor understanding of how and why videos go viral and what that either means.

Having said that, Stamper does a great job of exploring Cal's mind and personality (including his flaws) through the first-person narration and it turns out that there are deeper reasons behind some of his superficially hipstery behaviours. Stamper also engages in a degree of lampshading in regard to Cal's NY hipster vibe, with his romantic interest poking a bit of fun in that general direction.

There's a lot to like about this book. If it has a central theme, I'd say it's the toxic effects of the codependency between the media and scientific agencies like NASA, and the difficulties that come along with relationships in general. While Cal's romance is a major element of the novel, it was highly refreshing to me that neither his sexuality nor that of his romantic interest was a big deal.

Ignoring the usual beats in a queer romance story of finding acceptance of one's true self from friends and family and coming to terms with one's own sexuality was a really good move on Stamper's part. Instead, this novel is more about learning to accept the problems of our partners that we can't change, only help them to deal with in their own ways.

One character has depression. A couple deals with bickering and relationship strife due to their different personalities and ways of coping with things. Someone has to deal with their overwhelming urge to present a strong front and pretend they're okay, to fix everyone else even when they themselves are in need of support.

Everyone (except the villains of the piece, and even one of them is more sympathetic than you might expect) is immensely likeable and I really found myself investing in their relationships and their goals.

The romance is written well, taking me directly back to the heady high of new love in a deeply visceral way. The charge of knee's brushing, a hot hand on your shoulder, first kisses; all are written with great sensuality and attention to detail that make these moments highly effective.

If I were to criticise anything it would be to say that the second act drama surrounding the mission to Mars is perhaps a smidgeon overblown and perhaps resolved a smidgeon too easily, but that's easily overlooked against the sheer enjoyment I got out of this book.

Unfortunately, The Gravity of Us was not for me.

While I really liked the premise, not to mention the fact that the main relationship was LGBT, the story did not really go anywhere, and I thought the dialog came across as unrealistic.

Seventeen-year olde Cal is a successful social media journalist with half a million followers and is used to sharing his life online. But, when his pilot Father is selected for a highly published NASA mission to Mars. Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus and the public eye.

Amidst all the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another ‘Astrokid’. Cal find himself falling head over heels and fast. As frenzy around the mission grows, so does the connection Leon and Cal have. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a ay to revel the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

Over the past few months I have seen and am still seeing this book hyped up all over the internet. So, when my Mum went to New York with her friends, I asked if she could pick me up a copy. Let me tell you, the hype around this book is well deserved. It is such a refreshing read and the pick-me-up I was searching for. I found myself smiling so much whilst reading this.

The Gravity of Us combines the idea of a new space project to Mars, young love and family tensions and I loved it to pieces. It is full of light-hearted moments but also tackles some hard hitting topics. It is mostly a contemporary novel but has some sci-fi and dystopian elements weaved throughout. There is something in this book for absolutely everyone. For a debut novel it was wonderful and I cannot wait to see what else Phil Stamper writes in the future.

The characters in this book are all so wonderful and I loved them all a lot. Cal and Leon are just adorable and I would love to read more about them. For some people the romance between them may be a little too much too soon, but it is the sort of thing that I adore. The pair together are so cute and sweet and just felt like a real life couple to me. I would love to see more of Cal and Leon in the future if this is something Phil Stamper would like to do.

I have to talk about Cal’s parents in this book because they were written amazingly. They were open, honest and they felt very real. I loved that this book showed Cal’s fathers journey to being an astronaut and the complications that come with it. Also, the way that Cal’s mothers anxiety was showed felt real and it is the first YA book I think I’ve read where the parents have mental health issues. This book doesn’t shy away from hard topics or tough relationships between friends, family and higher corporations in the world. It highlights issues with friends when one moves away, the way higher corporations can exploit people under them and more.

One more thing I throughly enjoyed was the little installations of the reality program the characters were a part of ‘Shooting Stars’. It made me feel like I was actually watching the show and like I was a part of the novel.

When this book is published in the UK I highly recommend getting yourself a copy. It has something for everyone and it is truly something you can get lost in and finish feeling happy and with a smile on your face. I throughly enjoyed The Gravity of Us and I cannot wait to see what Phil Stamper writes next!

A very fun, light nerdy queer love story. I loved the development of the two main characters' relationship. I loved Cal's curious and analytical nature, and all the references to Astronomy, NASA and space really added to the fun quirky science aspect of the novel! I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoyed The Music of What Happens or Only Mostly Devastated!

3 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

A cute male male romance. Space. Social Media and more.

I liked the characters as they all had their own voice and were fun to read about.

The concept is what drew me in. I wanted a cute queer read and this is what it is.

Unfortunately for me that’s all it was. I didn’t really connect with the boys as it’s pretty insta-lovey. Most of the time I don’t mind that but it seemed to happen instantly without a feel of a connection.

Regarding the space stuff I couldn’t really see how realistic the conclusion is. He’s 17.

I do recommend this for the cute romance.
Just not for me

The concept of this story I really enjoyed, a behind the scenes look at astronauts and their families life all built around social media and reality TV. However I did not enjoy the romantic relationship/storyline I found it rushed and often over the top making it hard to believe in which did grate on me and bring me out of the story. An interesting story that many will enjoy but overall not my cup of tea.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.