Cover Image: The Gravity of Us

The Gravity of Us

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Member Reviews

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!

Phil Stamper's The Gravity of Us is pure rom-com fun. Cal and his family relocate to Austin so that his dad can take part in the Orpheus V project - destined for Mars. In his new home, Cal learns to navigate family tensions, the stardom associated with the project, his hopes for the future, and the excitement of a new crush on neighbor Leon. The book has a heavy focus on social media (Cal is a vlogger) which adds to the immediacy of plot events and their interpretation by characters. My soul complaint would be that this books (like so many YA titles) tries too hard to tick all of the representation boxes. Giving voices to lots of people is a great thing, but Leon's depression felt forced. A cute book to chase away the winter weather blues!

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This book started out at 2 stars for me until about 50% of the way through. 50% of the way through it got so much better, But some of the descriptions in the book went into way too much detail.  Cal was really whiny I understand he was upset about his having to move and leave his best friend but it was almost all too much. 

I could relate to Leon with the depression issues he has and having to please everyone and everything like that. I think Leon was the only relatable character in the book, as far as didn't seem fake half the time. 

The growing relationship between Cal and Leon is completely what gave this book four stars for me they were so cute and perfect for each other. They balance each other out so perfectly so if you are looking for a cute MM romance I really suggest this book

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Okay, full disclosure: I am an Apollo program devotee. Ever since I saw the movie Apollo 13, I have read every book and watched every movie I could get my hands on. As an adult, I recognize that the Apollo program lacked almost any diversity, embraced toxic masculinity, and diverted resources from social programs that could have helped disadvantaged groups. I still can't pass by a book about the program without wanting to read it.

While The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper is not directly about Apollo, it is deeply affected by the fictional Orpheus program that is training to send astronauts to Mars. Cal's dad is a jet pilot who has always been interested in spaceflight, but Cal is shocked when his father is chosen to be a pilot for Orpheus. This means leaving New York, and his burgeoning journalistic success, for Texas. This was definitely not a part of the plan.

However, moving to Houston comes with one, awfully significant advantage: Leon. All of the Orpheus families live in Houston (just like most of the Apollo families) and Leon is the son of another astronaut. He is also incredibly cute. But Leon struggles with depression, just as Cal's mom suffers from severe anxiety, and mental illness is a challenge in any relationship. Cal and Leon's relationship develops quickly and intensely, but teen readers will identify with the passion of early relationships.

One of the most stimulating and thought-provoking issues tackled in The Gravity of Us concerns journalism. The media – in all its forms – is a powerful tool for anyone who controls it. Whether those in control are people of integrity is another matter entirely. Cal’s online streaming program which he started in New York is gaining more and more viewers. When he moves to Houston, the TV station hired by NASA to cover the Orpheus program, StarWatch, demands that Cal stop posting videos, especially if they concern the program. However, Cal disagrees with the intentions of StarWatch and this becomes a major problem for Cal, his friends, and his family.

Journalism. Love. Spaceflight. Three topics that are rarely combined as elegantly as in The Gravity of Us.

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I was chosen as an advanced reviewer for The Gravity of Us through NetGalley, so that I could give an early review! Phil Stamper is also doing a super cool preorder giveaway, where you can get a signed bookplate that has been to space, so make sure to check out his page!

The Gravity of Us begins just as Cal’s world falls apart. Cal has his whole life planned around achieving his dream of becoming a journalist. He wants to share the news that matters in a way that cuts through all the confusion of the typical media haze. His plans are disrupted when his father makes a sudden announcement: he has been selected as a candidate for NASA’s first mission to Mars. This would be difficult enough for Cal even if it didn’t mean uprooting his life and moving to Houston to be near the other astronauts. To make matters worse, NASA has paired with a drama TV network, and has gotten into the business of making reality stars out of the astronauts and their families. Cal doesn’t want to give up everything he’s worked for so far, but when he gets to Houston he begins to realize that there is more than one way to make your dreams reality.

Phil Stamper has written one of my favorite reads so far this year in The Gravity of Us! It was a quick read for me, and balanced romance and space with real talk about the difficulties mental illnesses can bring. I loved the characters, and I found myself rooting for Cal (and the romance he finds) the whole way!

You can get your copy of The Gravity of Us of February 4th from Bloomsberry YA!

My Recommendation-
I would recommend The Gravity of Us to people looking for a sweet LGBTQ romance! I personally loved the elements of astronaut life included in the book, which also make this a great read for those who like to imaging what it would be like to be an astronaut’s family member. If you’ve been on the hunt for a quick-paced story to bust you out of a reading slump, The Gravity of Us is a great choice!

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3.7 Stars

I wanted to love this book - and I did, just not as much as I thought I would. Things I loved? The realness of the parents relationships and all the geeky NASA stuff. I learned so much just from this book. I loved Cal and Leon, but the beginning of their relationship felt a bit rushed. I wanted a bit more of a slow burn from them. Cal frustrated me at times, but that’s what made him real. They are teenagers. And teenagers are frustrating ing and their flaws are often judged harshly. This book made me evaluate how I was putting Cal in a box - and he kept showing me that that is not who he is.

I think that this book was fun, quirky, and sweet. Yes, it takes on mental health - and that is so important. But, I truly enjoyed reading about the two boys falling for each other.

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This was really disappointing. I didn't care about any of the characters at all. The plot wasn't very engaging either. It felt a bit like K Ancrum's The Weight of Stars (which i didn't like) but with social media and reality tv (which i also don't like). Also the writing was just boring? And kinda basic? The whole time I was reading I was like i dont care i dont care i dont care i dontcareidontcareidiontcare!!

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I usually don’t enjoy books about teenaged boys, but this book is wonderful. I love the focus on Cal’s dreams and his changing life, versus focusing solely on his love life. The science, the truth, behind this story brings it to life in a way a lot of YA novels avoid. The fact that the book features an LGBT+ main character is refreshing. It’s wonderful to read about a driven young man that doesn’t conform to societal norms, who’s mind isn’t focusing on sex, who follows his dreams, and who supports his family even if he doesn’t want to. There were times I was sitting on the edge of my seat, times I wanted to cry, times I yelled with joy, and the peaceful, exciting hint of a happily ever after.

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look out, adam silvera! phil stamper's debut novel is coming in HOT in 2020, and you'd better watch out!

stamper's novel "the gravity of us" follows up-and-coming social media influencer cal as he is forced to move away from his home in brooklyn to houston so his father can compete for a spot on nasa's next mission to mars. devastated that he has to give up his home, his friends, and his upcoming internship at buzzfeed, cal sees no way in which his life could get better, especially when he finds out he will not be able to vlog any of his experiences in houston due to an nda his dad signed. but when he meets leon, the son of one another member of the space mission, maybe cal has new appreciation for houston -- and the life he can make for himself there.

from the first few pages, i knew this book was going to be special. cal as a character is hilarious and naive about so many things, but i saw a lot of my 17-year-old self in him. everything seems like a big deal all the time, both the good and the bad. and i appreciate that stamper was able to communicate this period of adolescence so perfectly.

i especially loved the tension between cal and the starwatch team, as it was a strong critique of news media. having just finished binging 'the morning show' on appletv+, i had all these newly realized thoughts about the news industry, and it was nice to delve into another side to this issue with new characters and a different set of challenges.

this story is special, and these characters are ones i will remember going forward. please check this book out when it is released in february!

mega thanks to netgalley and bloomsbury for the free copy for review!

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This was such a cute story. It was a quick read, with interesting characters and a compelling plot. I did find the StarWatch recaps to be a little hard to follow, but I think that was because of its an arc, and not the finished copy. Besides that, and a few instances where it felt like the author could have spent more time elaborating on what was going I found that I really enjoyed the story, and almost wished it had been a little longer. Also, Leon and Cal are my favorite couples ever.

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The Gravity Of Us is an excellent story with many elements that will engage readers. The prevalence of social media in the storyline will feel relevant to students as will the developing romance and the exploration of mental health. The space travel aspect is fascinating and makes this story unique. Highly recommended.

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I was very skeptical when I first started reading this book, simply for the fact that the whole space thing wasn’t my usual preference. I truthfully requested it because I love anything gay (LGBTQA+). Once I got I into it, and learned more about the story behind the space mission, I was intrigued by the journalism aspect, and Leon and Cal’s relationship. Learning about Leon’s truth as well as Cal’s feelings for Leon and the whole mission in general, I loved who they were as characters in the story. My only reason for rating it 4 stars, and not 5, is that I felt like Leon and Cal’s relationship was not only predictable, but it became eminent too quickly. More of a build up would have been more probable, rather than all this occurring over the span of a few weeks. Overall, it was a great book, and Phil Stamper, I adore you!

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Oh, this book! This book bordered on perfection, in my mind. I was a kid who grew up obsessed with the space program of the 1960s, much like Calvin Sr., and I loved that this book allowed me to be transported to an alternate present in which like-minded people were trying to recapture the excitement of space exploration. I loved the diverse cast of astronauts, and the ways that their families' experiences mirrored, in some ways, but greatly diverged from, in other ways, the families of the astronauts of the 60s. But most of all, I loved Cal, Leon, Kat, and Deb. I loved how their experiences of friendship and new love felt so true to the current moment, and I loved how much I rooted for all of them from the moment I met each of them.

I love how this book tackles mental health issues without feeling preachy, and that it centers a queer romance without being about "coming out." As someone with depression and anxiety, I love how authentic the narratives around each felt, and the growth that Cal experiences over the course of the book as he learns to be present for the people he loves with these mental illnesses without trying to "fix" them was handled so well -- I think the book will be a great resource for those who are themselves learning how to best support a loved one dealing with depression or anxiety. But also I loved how many times the book made me giggle, sigh, and squeeeee with delight, because apparently I am a hopeless romantic!

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters. The author also dealt with the subject of mental health very well and crafted flawed characters that felt realistic. My one main issue was that the romance was a bit rushed, a little too insta-love, but it didn't detract from the story in my opinion. This book also got me out of my current reading slump, so I'm very grateful for that.

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NASA + gay brought me to this book.

Lots to like beyond that though - especially want to plug the
thoughtful navigation of mental health issues (and how they play out in relationships), family dynamics, and just transitions in general. Also lends itself to feeling relevant with the social media slant of the MC.

I had a tinge if diappointement overall (maybe my excitement of space and gay stuffs was too high and not fair though). I also was slightly disappointed in the MC voice and the love story pieces felt like attempts to write love but didn’t quite give me the feels I was hoping for. Maybe I’m old and it was solid teenage voice for both of those critiques or maybe it’s just not the MC for me, though? I can easily see that being the case.

All that said, the plot idea was my favorite part. Fun and engaging concept and I would definitely still pass this on to students!

3.5 for me.

Thaks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I love a good YA LGBTQ+ novel, and one that has to do with the media attention surrounding "public" figures and reality shows can't go wrong. The novel follows Cal, who is forced to give up a Buzzfeed internship and a popular live streaming channel because his father is selected to potentially go to Mars. So he has to leave behind his best friend, his hopes and his dreams in New York and go to hot and humid Houston to be part of a media circus. But here he meets Leon, a fellow child of an astronaut and the child of the man who is father is competing against.

The novel touches on mental health issues and that there is no quick "fix" to being happy and whole. Anxiety is real and it shows it well. The relationship dynamics in this novel are interesting (particularly the parents), but I felt that the two main characters got together a little too quickly, especially given all the media attention surrounding them. That being said, them getting together quickly just meant there was more of their interactions to view. I also liked how the portrayal of social media is used positively, lately most depictions of social media use in novels seem to exacerbate the issue and make things worse.

The novel also touches on feeling powerless, because you can't fix everything, and you especially can't fix other people and you certainly can't save them. All you can do is try your best and not regret the choices you made along the way.

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his was so beautiful and thought-provoking!!

Cal is a successful social media journalist with over half a million followers. But he doesn’t just make wry or cynical observations, or talk about the latest trends or restaurants in his Brooklyn neighborhood or in NYC. He really uses social media to make a difference, and played a huge part in getting younger people interested in the last presidential election. And people noticed—he landed an internship with BuzzFeed he can’t wait for.

But his whole life is about to be turned upside down. Call’s father has just been selected as an astronaut for a possible NASA mission to Mars, so the agency is relocating all of the astronauts and their families to Houston, to try and recapture the camaraderie of the early days of the space program.

Cal isn’t prepared for the media frenzy surrounding the space program, and although he’s technically not supposed to do any more social media broadcasting from Houston, he can’t resist putting his own spin on things, which puts him in the middle of a battle between NASA and a trashy media program that somehow has gotten an exclusive to cover the astronauts.

Life isn’t all bad, though, as Cal meets Leon, the son of another astronaut, and they fall for each other quickly and intensely. But Leon has his own struggles to deal with, and when Cal realizes he needs to use his online fame to right some wrongs, he doesn’t realize how that might put other things at risk, including his relationship with Leon.

Can we save those we care about or do we have to let them do that themselves? What are our obligations to those we love?

Phil Stamper’s book is so good, full of the flush of first love, the emotional struggles many have to deal with, and the excitement of getting to explore unknown territory. I have been trying to get an ARC of this for a while so I was so excited to finally get it. His writing is fantastic, and this story is compelling from start to finish. It's always nice to find a story where the characters' sexuality isn't cause for scandal or emotional crisis, it's just another aspect of their lives.

NetGalleyand Bloomsbury USA provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

This book publishes February 4, 2020.

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This was a pretty standard YA contemporary romance with a shift to feature LGBTQ characters and an interesting backdrop within the NASA program and the reality show drama. However, it was pretty predictable and nothing in particular jumped out at me. The ending felt like everything wrapped up nicely with a little bow and all of the problems were solved, even if it didn't feel entirely believable or realistic. Cal was kind of frustrating within the story - his constant need to fix everyone around him while ignoring their thoughts or feelings was a bit off putting and his treatment of Deb, his friend in NYC, was disappointing. His subsequent character growth was a nice change, but again felt predictable within the story. The writing was solid and the story was enjoyable however, and if you are a big fan of YA romance stories, I'd say this one is worth giving a shot.

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In this contemporary (slightly speculative?) YA novel, Cal and his family move to Texas for his Dad to work for NASA. He is a Brooklynite with an avid social media following and a dream of becoming a journalist, which doesn't initially jive with the move to Clear Lake.

I found the premise of this book interesting, if a bit kitschy. A reality show! NASA! A pretentious, social-media-famous teenager! Instalove!

Okay, those last two things were things I didn't like about the book. First, I found Cal overly pretentious and annoying and I never felt a connection with him, not even in the end. I especially don't like in YA stories when technology plays heavily and the teen things every adult is totally inept - it feels stale because that is not my experience with teenagers. (Also the character describes everyone's clothes... a lot. It was never said he particularly likes fashion so I didn't understand.) Overall, he just felt very two-dimensional to me, and all the other characters felt one-dimensional, even Leon.

I wasn't sure why they felt a connection immediately, I never felt like this was explained. (In an aside, I think the ARC I had had missing parts, so maybe that was part of the problem?) And neither of them treated the other very well. Overall, their relationship just felt very underdeveloped.

Overall, it was a fun book, but it suffered from some issues around characterization and believability to me.

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Cal's a social media teen journalist with over half a million followers and a summer internship at Buzzfeed until his father comes home and announces that he's been selected as the newest astronaut on NASA's mission to Mars and the family's moving from Brooklyn to Houston. The hype surrounding today's astronauts resembles that of the 1960's, only this time it's reality programming with 24/7 coverage everywhere. When Cal meets Leon, the son of another astronaut, there's an instant attraction. And when Cal discovers some secrets about the upcoming mission, he has to get to the truth without hurting his family or his new relationship. A charming YA love story set in Houston - I loved it!

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3.5 Stars - Although the romance felt a bit rushed - it was still sweet and I appreciated Leon's character so much. Stamper did a fantastic job of tackling a difficult topic like depression in a way that was not only sensitive, but a testament to what many teens may be feeling themselves. This is also a fantastic commentary on the power of social media and reality television - something that is certainly relevant today - providing an excellent opportunity for teen readers to draw parallels and discuss. Ultimately, a great addition to YA collections.

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