Aurora Rising
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 7th, 2019
In the year 2380, Tyler Jones, star cadet of Aurora Academy, is ready to graduate and take command of his own squad. Right before the ceremony, he rescues a teen girl from an abandoned ship in space and misses the entire thing. As a result, he gets stuck with the cadets no one else wanted: a snarky diplomat, an tough-but-kind ace pilot, a quiet scientist with no qualms about shooting her squadmates with a stun gun, a alien fighter with anger issues, and a smart aleck mechanic. Then there’s Aurora, who's been stuck in suspended animation for two centuries and is the key to uncovering a deadly conspiracy.
Aurora Rising, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, is a whirlwind of a book. It alternates between the perspectives of each squad member, and really gives each one their moment to shine. There’s plenty of action, balanced with sweet scenes that build the relationships between characters, and of course, lots of sarcasm and banter. A lot of backstory is left unknown by the end, and the cliffhanger absolutely killed me. Still, I loved reading this book and recommend it for fans of sci-fi, motley crews, and epic quests.
The Stars we Steal
by Alexa Donne
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: February 4th, 2020
Alexa Donne crafts stunning, three-dimensional characters and a thrilling plot in The Stars We Steal, somehow managing to fill every chapter with charming dialogue, sweet romance, and heart wrenching anguish all at the same time. While initially appearing simple, the story quickly unravels to reveal a gripping turn of events that leave the reader starry-eyed, if you will. Even the moon’s gravitational pull cannot tear Leo and Elliot apart as they battle every challenge in their rocky relationship – but will the crater between them eventually grow too large? Those of you who can’t get enough of sci fi romances, dream about outer space, and can’t wait to watch the next season of the Bachelorette ASAP are in luck, because this book is for you.
Sky Without Stars
by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
Set on the planet Laterre, SKY WITHOUT STARS explores the world as revolution begins to spark, in a very “Les Mis in space” way. But whether it was the breathtaking setting, or the deep phenomenal writing, I couldn’t get enough. Although the book does fall into some of the same YA cliches that could hurt a book like this, the interesting direction it takes left me surprised and hungry for more. Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough.
Once and Future
by Cori McCarthy and Amy Rose Capetta
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
A refugee from a planet controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, all Ari Helix wants is to survive. But when she crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword, Excalibur, from an ancient tree, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Together with Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and her friends, they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back while doing something she never thought possible: defeating Mercer and bringing peace and equality to all humankind.
Packed full of LGBTQ+ characters, epic adventures, an ancient wizard, and immersive world-building, ONCE AND FUTURE is definitely a book unlike any other. Because of this, it is hard to truly capture its essence in just a short review. One of the things that makes this most challenging is the world the authors establish from the first page. This includes one of the best versions of the "evil corporation" trope that I have ever seen. To describe them as omnipresent and ruthless would be doing the Mercer corporation a wrong, as it wouldn’t quite capture the power behind their actions. To back this up, the authors create offense after offense for them to commit. Though going into details might spoil the story, I found myself completely and utterly agreeing with the characters that Mercer must go, truly understanding how a corporation can be evil. The authors create different aspects of their world like this throughout the book, writing some of the best world-building I have ever read.
This type of world-building is seen most prominently in the story of King Arthur, and how the authors find a way to expand it while sticking true to the original story. This is done through the knights--well, their futuristic counterparts--maintaining the original relationships/betrayals, and the dark aspects that the story holds. What I liked the most about this is how the authors maintain these original characters while introducing a twist of their own: each character is written, in some sense, to bypass typical gender/romance restrictions in order to give each of them their own LGBTQ+ twist. I was beyond excited when I heard that this book would be having a twist like this, and I was not let down in the slightest. The way that the authors played with gender stereotypes in a story such as King Arthur was something which I never thought I would see in YA. If you are at all interested in seeing representation in a YA space opera/retelling, I would highly recommend this book to you for this exact reason.
Besides wishing that the book was a bit longer, I don’t think that there was a single thing I did not like with this book. With characters such as Ari, who truly embody the character of Arthur with her ferocious leadership and yearning for peace, and Merlin, who is literally the most perfect wizard I think I have ever met in my life, there was little that the authors could have gotten wrong. Filled with intense emotion, kick-ass characters, lush world building, and a twist unlike any other, ONCE AND FUTURE is a book that any sci-fi or fantasy lover would like.
Girls With Sharp Sticks
by Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 19, 2019
GIRLS WITH SHARP STICKS is a beautifully relevant novel that tells the story of the young women of Innovations Academy. A boarding school for girls run by men, this school prepares these girls for their lives with husbands chosen for them by the academy. The girls are taught to never speak out, to look perfect at all times, and that the men in control of them are superior to any of their own ideas and aspirations. As the girls fight to stay close with one another, making the most out of their separation from families and the challenge of day to day confinement in perfection, they start to see that maybe Innovations might not have their best interests at heart, and the education they’d always dreamed of having might be a facade. Told from the perspective of a girl with high hopes for her future, GIRLS WITH SHARP STICKS explores with her the challenges of their lives, first loves, and friendships. This book was absolutely amazing, and with these characters the author explored very real issues and controversies that are prevalent today in our world.
The Fever King
by Victoria Lee
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: March 1, 2019
Waking up alone in a hospital bed in Carolina, a country in what was once the United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro is now a technopath thanks to the deadly viral magic that killed his family. This attracts the Minister of Defense, who invites Noam to serve his country by training to become an elite magical soldier. But as the son of undocumented immigrants in a country whose Prime Minister promotes nothing but oppression of immigrants, the last thing Noam wants to do is help the government. So when Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, he secretly plans to use it against the government. But when he meets the minister’s ward, Noam becomes less certain that what he’s doing is right. Stuck between his longing for change and wish for love, Noam must decide if trust is a thing he can give out liberally, or if the more he lends his heart out, the faster his world might come crashing down around him.
Written with so much emotion and power, THE FEVER KING is packed with amazing prose and beautiful storytelling. One aspect that captivated me from the start was the book’s ‘dark characters.’ Nowadays, it is common for publishers to claim that certain books contain ‘dark’ characters/themes. Often when books are marketed as ‘dark,’ they don’t quite deliver, leaving readers disappointed. This is not the case with THE FEVER KING. From page one, it is clear that the author is well-practiced in writing emotion, as a prominent sense of sorrow can be felt as Noam navigates the book’s mysteries. And even when something ‘light’ occurs, the sense that something can still go wrong is prevalent. One of the ways that the author achieves this is through the articles included at the ends of some chapters. The true definition of dark and clinical, these articles chronicle the trauma of one of the characters while helping to promote the overall feel of the book, establishing its dark history. Horrid descriptions of terrifying experiments and twisted recorded conversations are featured through these articles, making the reader wonder just how destructive and horrifying this world is.
The articles would mean nothing without the setting. In a post-war Carolina, the world is in shambles. While there are some ‘good’ parts to some of the cities, most of the people live in disease-ridden ruin and struggle to survive because of the poor treatment they receive. The majority of these people are citizens of the country lining Carolina’s border—Atlantia. Fleeing their home to pursue a better life in Carolina, they’re given few if any rights, treated horribly, and left to die from the viral magic. Being Atlantian is a big part of Noam’s identity, as he’s been fighting for Atlantian rights for as long as he’s been alive. I found it interesting how Lee wove immigration into her book in a way such as this. Readers will appreciate how she didn’t just mention it once and let it be, but fully ingrained it throughout the book, showcasing the horrid and disgusting lengths to which some leaders might go to prove a point or please the wealthy.
This was seen in the character of Noam and how he dealt with various events. As I mentioned before, Noam was raised in fear of the Carolinian government because of what they do to his people. But he is also proactive in his fight against them, doing all he possibly can to help. And though now living in the government’s building, his pain and motivation doesn’t lessen. Noam is a character who would appeal to many in this sense because of the sheer motivation and anger that pushes him to act. I loved how he embodied all those who are marginalized and pushed down. Lee continues in this spirit with her side characters as she gives them each their own characteristics and personalities. With them, Lee took some themes from the main cast and carried them over to the rest of the characters. I loved how she didn’t just write them for the sake of writing them, but wrote them to be a part of the story.
Another, much needed, aspect of this book was the Jewish and LGBTQ representation it had. Though LGBTQ+ and Jewish characters/themes used to only be popular in contemporary novels, they are slowly starting to make their way into fantasy, which readers will enjoy thoroughly in THE FEVER KING.
One important world-building aspect to mention in THE FEVER KING was its magic system. Unlike anything else I’ve ever read, I was completely obsessed with how the viral magic was something people feared, not sought. With most books that I’ve read, having magic is something that is wanted and held on a high pedestal. But in THE FEVER KING, it was something to run from. I thought that this added yet another dimension to the darkness of the book, but also increased the urgency of which Noam must save his people. Never have I thought that a book’s magic system would serve as almost an antagonist, which was something I enjoyed greatly in this book.
If you are looking for a fresh twist in YA, THE FEVER KING will serve as that perfect speculative fiction sci-fi/fantasy book that you’ve been looking for. Recommended for ages 14+ because of mild language and adult themes.
Four Dead Queens
by Astrid Scholte
Publisher: Putnam Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 26, 2019
The breathtaking standalone debut of Astrid Scholte, FOUR DEAD QUEENS, tells the story of Keralie Corrington, a thief (called a dipper), for Mackiel, an influential businessman who deals in all things black market. Tasked with stealing anything not found in their quadrant, Keralie flourishes in the job that was seemingly meant for her. But when Keralie intercepts a comm disk from another quadrant, things don’t go as perfectly as she hopes as she watches the deaths of Quadra’s four queens. Hoping to find the culprit as a way of leveraging the palace, she teams up with Varin, the messenger she stole from, to track them down. But with time against them, and Keralie’s old boss following their every move, victory may be harder than they thought.
Only one word could describe how I felt about this book: wow. I was completely blown away with the sheer beauty of this world Scholte has created. Told in immaculate detail, not one aspect of this story was left underdeveloped or without resolve, with everything wrapping up nicely. This is especially notable because FOUR DEAD QUEENS is a standalone (unfortunately), something we rarely see in fantasy. Not that FOUR DEAD QUEENS is exclusively fantasy, as it includes a murder-mystery spin filled with the air of a thriller and the technology of a sci-fi, making it truly genre-bending. But this is far from the only reason why FOUR DEAD QUEENS is a book that demands to be read.
I was immediately sucked into Keralie’s story from page one as she hid in a corner conspiring with Mackiel. As her story continued, that level of engagement never ceased. I was truly experiencing the golden domes and dark corners of Quarda with Keralie. Whenever I had to put this book down, I instantly felt myself longing to pick it back up, its allure constant and undying. Everything seemed to be alive in Scholte’s world, with not a single thing coming off as flat or half-baked.
But of course, no description would be good without the world it was based on. Scholte made sure to deliver this with ease. The world of Quadra was complete and filled to the brim with so much detail that it felt real. I loved how much effort the author put into making each of Quadra’s four quadrants, laws, and technology so real. Like wondering which Hogwarts house people belong too, readers will wonder which Quadrant they would hope to call their home. Some will fall in love with Toria, the trade quadrant filled with curiosity and exploration, or Archia, the agricultural quadrant that emphasizes simplicity and nature. Others will wish to be in Ludia amongst all the passion and entertainment their quadrant has to offer, or Eonia where futuristic technologies are integrated into every part of their stoic and harmonious lives. Either way, once someone is born into a quadrant, they have little opportunity to leave again. This is just one of the laws that dictate the way the queens must rule Quadra, separate but together. These are laws that rule almost as much as the queens do, strict but for the good of the people. Readers will be happy to know that these laws are not just one-off tidbits to help embellish the plot a bit, but important to the progression of the story and fully integrated. I never thought that I would find myself caring so much about a book’s law system until I read FOUR DEAD QUEENS. Combined with the absolutely amazing technology, readers will wonder just how many twists Scholte has planned.
To navigate these twists, Scholte created a cast of utterly unique characters to run free. Her main character, Keralie, is a girl of bravery yet anxiousness, both trying to do her best to please those in her life, but also unsure if she even can. She is the type of girl who appears tough and faultless, but later reveals that she is full of depth and care. The reader would never expect to fall for her in the span of just one book, but they do without a second’s doubt. There was so much about Keralie that I loved. From her sass, to her badass-ness, to the fact that her backstory is not at all what you would typically find in a fantasy. Everything about her was amazing. And it wasn’t just her who was well thought out, with all the other characters receiving the same type of care. Readers will fall in love with Varin, with his slow-to-warm-up cuddliness and pure-of-heart attitude and Mackiel, who knows what he wants and goes for it. Each of these supporting characters have fears and drives and backstories as well-thought out as Keralie's. These were characters with many sides to them.
And of course, with all these aspects going for it, the plot was nothing less than hypnotizing. It was both fast-paced and filled with enough detail that you won’t get whiplash. Bursting with political intrigue, romance, and a murder mystery twist, it is not a book that will let readers down. Most of all, it contained something that every reader can enjoy. From good old-fashioned thievery and sneaking through a grand palace, to technological contraptions and badass fight scenes, to the intricate mystery that readers will struggle to piece together with Keralie and Varin, there isn’t a single thing that will bore a reader.
I would recommend this book to fans of SIX OF CROWS who were enamored with its trickery and setting, and also fans of WARCROSS, as its plot wouldn’t be the same without the awe-inspiring technology. Of course, it is very hard to describe this book in relation to others, as it contains so many different aspects, but readers of classic mystery authors such as Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will also enjoy this book. FOUR DEAD QUEENS is a genre-bending debut that readers will be unable to put down as they sail through it like they are watching a movie.
Strange Days
by Constantine Singer
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: October 4, 2018
STRANGE DAYS is about Alex Mata, a teen from Los Angeles, who possesses the talent to be capable of saving the human race from invading aliens. He is able to “Witness” a certain future, setting it in stone. This talent is used to help formulate a future where the Earth is not invaded. STRANGE DAYS is a book featuring time travel and aliens. As with many stories revolving around time manipulation, this book uses the theory that one cannot manipulate the past, only influence the future. Once a future is “seen” by a Witness, that future is destined to happen. However, I found it confusing later on in the book, where if a Witness dies, their foreseen future is no longer guaranteed. The ending is also very abrupt. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
The Disasters
by M. K. England
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 18, 2018
THE DISASTERS by M.K. England is most definitely described perfectly by its summary; “The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy.”Jam packed with enough action and awkwardness to put a high school to shame, THE DISASTERS is a fast-paced science fiction adventure that follows the story of four Ellis Space Station Academy “rejects,” Nax, Zee, Rion and Case. Many years in the future, Earth has colonized countless planets within and without its solar system, and getting into Ellis Academy is a one-way ticket to reaching them all. However, when the Academy is suddenly taken over by mysterious terrorists and wiped of all life, Nax and his fellow misfits are lucky enough to escape. But are they lucky enough to outrun the countless dangers coming their way?
With its hilariously engaging characters and well-written plot, THE DISASTERS is definitely worth the read; England does a fantastic job keeping the anticipation going, and I especially like how the characters are written and how they interact with each other. Each character is different in their own way, ranging from polished diplomat, to hotshot pilot, to witty genius. Rion, Nax, Case, and Zee get along in ways that just feel so human; their healthy and supportive friendship deserves appreciation.
All in all, if you are looking for an exciting winter read to enjoy by a hot fireplace, M.K. England’s THE DISASTERS would go perfectly with fuzzy socks and some hot cocoa!
This Splintered Silence
by Kayla Olson
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 13, 2018
Lindley Hamilton is the captain of the space station Lusca, a job she’s always wanted but never knew she would get so soon. Now, because of the deadly virus that killed all of the station’s adults including her mother, Lindley must run the ship as their struggle to survive intensifies. Still, Lindley believes that the worst has passed, and while they still must figure out a way to not run out of food and to communicate with Earth, morale remains high. That is, until a member of the surviving second generation dies from what looks like the same virus, the very virus the second generation thought they were immune from. Struggling to survive, Lindley must find a way to save the station before it’s too late, especially when clues point to one of their own being the killer.
Spooky, suspenseful, and powered by an amazing female main character, THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE is not a book to miss. From page one, I was sucked into Lindley’s story. The author blends past and present beautifully together, making everything seem like it's happening in real time. I loved how Olson continued this throughout the book, mentioning memories of Lindley’s mother, a character we never meet but who feels just as well constructed as any other character. This masterful storytelling is also present through the setting of the book, the space station Lusca, and the struggles it faces. Olson builds a well-thought-out world around this little station and makes sure that there are no gaps for plot holes. Everything that she mentions is carefully described and accurate to what people in that position might be dealing with. Often when books are set in space like this one, everything seems beautiful and technologically perfect. But for Lindley and her crew that is not the case, and I feel like this little dash of realism in this sci-fi novel makes it so readers can relate and immerse themselves in the story much better than they might have otherwise.
Throughout the whole book, the characters struggle with real problems while dealing with the space station. Working through these problems are Olson’s cast of characters, each more realistic than the last. At the top of the list is Olson’s main character, Lindley Hamilton. It was hard not to love Lindley from the start. A scientist in her own right, Lindley is the recently-promoted captain of their station, the role her mother used to occupy until a few weeks ago. This is a fact that Lindley doesn’t let readers forget as the story progresses. She does this through subtle things: mentioning her mother’s secret stash of chocolate, and stories about the sky she used to tell Lindley. I love how Olson didn’t do this in a way that was annoying or repetitive. Instead, she does it with grace and sadness, in a way that makes Lindley’s grief feel real. Often when books deal with grief, they force the idea of it down the reader’s throat, but in THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE that is not the case.
If you love realistic-seeming sci-fi where disease and deadly secrets lurk behind every corner, you will not be let down with THIS SPLINTERED SILENCE. This sci-fi thriller is perfect for people looking for a good spooky read.
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
by Lauren James
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
The only life that Romy Silvers has ever known is the inside of a massive spaceship tasked with colonizing a new Earth-like planet. Still, when her two astronaut parents are killed, leaving her by herself on the Infinity, she feels utterly alone besides the brief messages from her therapist on Earth as she continues her journey. But that all changes when NASA alerts her that another ship, the Eternity, will be joining the Infinity. When Romy begins to exchange messages with its charismatic captain, J, she thinks nothing could go wrong now that she has this newfound friendship. But as the two of them get closer to meeting, Romy realizes that J’s mission might be one she could never have imagined.
Surprisingly for such a short book, it was amazing. The author included so many cool aspects that you would never expect to see in a sci-fi. For one, the plot was full of constant twists despite the fact that Romy is living alone in a giant spaceship. The author was able to accomplish this through email-like messages as well as notifications from the ship itself. It would be revealing too much to say exactly what was transpiring through the messages, but it would not be an understatement to say they added to the overall eerie feeling of the book. The setting itself also made the whole book feel mysterious as the ship was riddled with strange malfunctions and breakdowns.
The plot also featured heavy reference to a supernatural TV series that Romy really likes called Loch and Ness. When I first began reading this book, I was surprised by the heavy references to this series as the main character often fangirled about it and even wrote fanfiction! I was shocked because I never believed this sort of aspect could be included in a sci-fi book. And not only was it included, but it was an important plot device that was used throughout the book. But this was not the first part of this book that left me shocked.
In terms of characters, Romy was one that I found to be pretty unique in YA. For one, despite the fact that she has lived her entire life in space, she is pretty much like any other teenage girl. She fangirls, she gets lazy, she has homework sent to her, etc. But she also gets anxiety. This was one of the surprise aspects that I mentioned earlier. Who would expect to read about a character that suffers from panic attacks in a sci-fi book? And not only was it written about, but it was written about well. I loved how authentic the author made Romy’s experience feel. And the author didn’t make it feel like a plot device, nor did she use it like a fun little thing to add. The author wrote about Romy’s anxiety as just another part of her life. Readers who relate to her will be very surprised by the author’s honest portrayal as they gain representation in a genre that doesn’t typically deal with issues like this.
The only negative thing that I have to say about this book is that the antagonist seemed too much like a cookie-cutter type of villain. Despite this, he still provided for great plot advancements and twists that readers will never see coming.
I recommend this book for sci-fi lovers looking for a new twist on the genre. James is truly innovative with this book and even readers who don’t typically read sci-fi will enjoy it greatly. This book is great for fans of HONOR AMONG THIEVES or BRIGHTLY BURNING because of the space-ship setting.
Lifel1k3
by Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 29, 2018
In a near future, post-disaster version of Earth, Humans have created Robots with Artificial Intelligence (Logika) that are governed by the Three Rules of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
Eve, a Domefighter, struggles to make enough money to buy medicine for her sick Grandfather, and to keep her and her friend Lemon safe. Shortly after Eve manifests mutant abilities, they encounter a Lifelike, an Android not governed by the Three Rules. Together, Eve, the Lifelike, and Lemon go on a mission to rescue her kidnapped Grandfather and discover Eve’s mysterious past.
I really enjoyed LIFEL1K3. The book presents issues that may soon be relevant to us, such as becoming too dependent on technology, at what point is AI considered alive, and how humans would react to such changes. However, I was a bit confused as to who the target audience is. The story is rich and thought provoking, yet is written in a way that seems targeted to younger readers. While this is about a common Sci-Fi scenario, I love the depth it goes into about issues with Artificially Intelligent Androids and robots, who can both feel and think for themselves. This book reminds me of the movie Ex Machina. While LIFEL1K3 is nowhere near as intense as Ex Machina, they cover the same issues in similar ways.
Brightly Burning
by Alexa Donne
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
BRIGHTLY BURNING is about the crew (plus one civilian) of the Rochester, a spaceship orbiting the moon. Captain Hugo Fairfax, Grace Poole, Commander Xiao, to name a few of the crew. Our civilian is ten-year-old Jessa, younger sister of our Captain. The crew is dedicated to taking care of her. She has had governesses in the past, but they never stay long, and the newest one, Stella (our protagonist), is trying to figure out why. She sorts through rumors of murder and ghosts, all the while drifting closer and closer to the mysterious, wild Hugo. He drags her to parties and has her teach Jessa for most of her day each day, but usually, a few hours at the end of the day are reserved to them, in which they both come out of their shells and read together. But Stella hears laughter outside her room at night, and after Hugo nearly dies in a fire and is immediately aware of the cause, she begins to suspect he has a part in the conspiracy.
I loved BRIGHTLY BURNING. It is said that BRIGHTLY BURNING is an update of JANE EYRE in all the best ways; I wouldn’t know, as I’ve never read JANE EYRE. Alexa Donne has a magical, kind way of writing-–I cared for every single character, even Mari Hanada. Especially Hugo, right from the beginning. He is overdramatic and showy and rowdy and broken. And he does not like himself very much. He is quick to blame himself, no matter what happens. He lets his guilt nearly destroy him, more than once. I feel strong sympathy for him, because he reminds me of me, but worse. I too would feel it necessary to take over a spaceship at a young age, rather than letting someone out of the family captain it. Stella is a relatable protagonist, excellent narrator, and good friend, but she wasn’t my favorite character, despite her kind heart. No, my favorite character is Rori, the Rochester’s artificial intelligence. I’ve read the book, I know the world inside; for you, I will reveal no spoilers but tell you that throughout the book, Rori brings light and humor to the darkest situations, and often is our hero’s hero. She’s mighty good at troubleshooting and telling people what to do without sounding overbearing. And she seems quite aware. If I were ever to have an AI anywhere, I would want her to be like Rori. (Rori x Lori forever!!!)
The quality in Donne’s writing actually improves with the chapters. At the beginning, it wasn’t that interesting and it felt cliché. If you run into the same problem, don’t let that stop you. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. By which I mean, at around page 36 (don’t skip), the momentum increases, the tension speeds up, and I read the rest of it in one sitting. The book is much darker than you first think. And I deeply appreciated every element of it. You will not be able to put it down. The ending for me lacked in what I like to call “reader looseness.” It was adorable and romantic and special and healing, but it told you what happened after the climax and sorting-out-of-plot, rather than letting you imagine. It shoved us too far into the future, but other than that, the book was far better than I expected. I beg you to read it. It is diverse for the sake of realism--humanity really does have that much variety--and compassionate in nature.
When Light Left Us
by Leah Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
WHEN LIGHT LEFT US by Leah Thomas is a thrilling, contemporary novel that is incredibly hard to put down. When the father of Milo, Ana, and Hank Vasquez inexplicably deserted his family, the three siblings were suddenly left with a gaping hole in their lives. But in the darkness of their backyard one summer night, that hole was filled. A foreign, shimmering light entered into the three bodies of the Vasquez children and slowly took control of their actions. After doing irreversible damage on the three children, this light abandons them, much like their father. When the light left them, the children were forced them to embrace the things that made them human and learn to live again without the alien presence that they had become so familiar with.
WHEN LIGHT LEFT US took my breath away. Leah Thomas brilliantly captured the separate thoughts and personalities of three very different children while characterizing them in such a way that I forgot they weren’t actually real. The setting was designed in a way that made me feel like I too was in rural New Mexico. At its heart, WHEN LIGHT LEFT US is not an alien book, it is a coming-of-age story about how an alien presence forever changed the perspectives of a family. In the end, this is an utterly engrossing story that I never wanted to end.
Honor Among Thieves
by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
One hundred years after the Leviathans, living alien ships, came to Earth to help humanity, Zara is selected for a year long trip aboard one of them. Zara, not used to trusting anyone, is unsure of how to proceed or if she can trust the Leviathans. The trip is to ideally prepare Zara for the Journey, which no one seems to know much about and is surrounded by mystery throughout the book. It is interesting to read from the perspective of an alien ship, and how this book explores communication between Leviathans and Humans: Leviathans have basic telepathy but sometimes have trouble ‘translating’ their thoughts into something understood by the humans. I also found it interesting how Leviathans are biologically able to do what they do. They are biological, yet they are able to be upgraded and modified by technology and are aware of what goes on inside themselves. There is a lot of mystery surrounding what exactly the purpose of the trip is, and Zara does not appreciate how little she is informed.
HONOR AMONG THIEVES heavily draws elements from DIVERGENT, LEGEND, THE HUNGER GAMES, and DOCTOR WHO. While at times the similarities can be annoying, I mostly enjoyed how it takes many familiar ideas and puts them into one story.
The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza
by Shaun David Hutchinson
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
THE APOCALYPSE OF ELENA MENDOZA by Shaun David Hutchinson provides a story that deals with the rights of one to choose one’s own fate. The main character, Elena Mendoza, is a product of a virgin birth and, as the story begins, she finds that she has the power to heal by touch. The catch is that everytime she heals someone, alien forces that appear to her as voices from inanimate objects are able to “rapture” people in beams of light to who knows where. Elena struggles with the decision to save the lives of those in pain who seek her “miracles” or let them suffer and prevent any more people from being taken. The aliens claim that they are saving people from the end of the world, but there is no way for Elena to know where the people really go.
Throughout the entire book Elena hesitates to take any sort of action. Despite advice from her best friend, the girl she likes, and her mom, she can’t make a definite choice. If the voices are right, then not healing anyone is dooming them all, but if the voices lie, then she's allowing the aliens to take innocent people without consent. Elena is frustrated that she is forced to make choices for people she doesn’t even know. Stuck in this perfectly crafted trap it seems there is no way for her to resolve this impossible problem.
Hutchinson presents an interesting book that, despite its surface level plot, focuses on emotions more than action. Emotions such as the weight of responsibility, indecision and uncertainty (both with her situation and her love life), and the pain of not being able to help someone in need. Even with such a difficult problem, Hutchinson wraps up the story nicely and leaves the reader satisfied.
The Martian
by Andy Weir
Publisher: Broadway Books
Publication Date: August 28, 2014
In a near future when humans have already traveled to Mars and back, the crew of the Ares 3 recently landed on Mars. When a storm interferes with their mission, they are forced to abort and return to Earth. However, struggling to make it back to their ship, Mark Watney is hit and knocked out. This forces the crew, thinking he is dead, to leave the planet with Mark still on it. But Mark did not die in the storm, making him the only human on mars with no means of communication, little food, and a small tent trying to survive on his own.
THE MARTIAN is one of my favorite books. We get a botanist/mechanical engineer as the protagonist trying to science his way to survival, who knows he may never see another human again. The book is a constant battle of “Man vs. Nature”, where whenever Mark finally gets a bit of good luck, something almost always eventually goes wrong. We are greeted with explanations for many of Mark's scientific solutions to problems he encounters, going into enough detail that it makes sense, but not too much detail that it makes the story confusing.
The Last Girl on Earth
by Alexandra Blogier
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
THE LAST GIRL ON EARTH by Alexandra Blogier is about a teenager named Li. She is a human living on an alien planet with beings that look just like humans but aren't. These beings have killed all other humans. Li must struggle to survive.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I thought it seemed very cheesy. But as I got into it, I started to really enjoy it. I really liked the plot and the author did a good job of keeping the book moving. There were plenty of plot twists and I couldn't put this book down!
Zenith
by Sasha Alsberg & Lindsay Cummings
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 16, 2018
Androma Racella, also known as the Bloody Baroness, is one of the most feared mercenaries in the Mirabel Galaxy. But when a routine mission goes awry, she and her ship’s all-girl crew are put to the test. Paired with a ruthless bounty hunter from Andi's past, they must complete a dangerous mission or face being locked up for good. Yet as they embark on this journey, across the galaxy toils the queen of Xen Ptera who will stop at nothing to exact revenge to those who have destroyed her people.
This book can easily be one of my favorites of 2018, and the year has barely begun. So many aspects of this story influenced my decision, so I would first like to begin with the characters. While you begin the book feeling like several characters are just straightforward and one dimensional, there is so much growth and character development all through the book. Andi is not your typical statistical badass, Dex is not your typical bounty hunter, the queen seeking revenge does not do so without an understandable cause, and the loyal pilot Lira doesn’t just follow orders. I loved that the authors took these characters and made them into something new. Not only did this enhance the story, but it made reading it so much more fun because you never knew when someone will do something or something will happen!
Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the plot. Starting out like SIX OF CROWS, but in space, it changed from what I thought would be a copy of another tale into something much better. The authors purposely hid origin stories and dispersed them throughout the book, giving them to us bit by bit as we learn more about our characters. And during several parts of this book, I constantly found my mind wandering towards where I though the plot would go or towards what I thought would happen. Yet almost every time this happened, I was proven wrong. I loved this aspect of ZENITH, because the authors were always giving you the unexpected plot twists.
Lastly, the universe that ZENITH was set in was also amazing. Filled with galaxies and alien worlds and beautiful technology: the authors succeeded so well in their world building. I loved how everything felt so complete as the authors made sure that every fact was backed up with more content as they created religions and other characteristics for each of the peoples discussed. They stayed away from our regular images of beauty as each race has different skin tones, attributes, and quirks, creating a truly diverse world. For example, Andi is riddled with barely-hidden metal implants across her body, something that so many would find ugly; yet in ZENITH she is called beautiful.
Overall, I would recommend this book to sci-fi and fantasy lovers alike as this book includes everything from magic to high-speed space travel. Fans of books like SIX OF CROWS and NEVERNIGHT will enjoy this book.
This Mortal Coil
by Emily Suvada
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
THIS MORTAL COIL by Emily Suvada explores a futuristic world in which gene hacking allows people to change their DNA. A global outbreak of a plague that kills most of the population leaves teenager Catarina Agatta alone with her father, Dr. Lachlan Agatta. After Lachlan is killed while creating a vaccine for the disease, Catarina is recruited to figure out how to release it.
This was the first science fiction novel I have read in a long time, and it reminded me why I love the genre. The intersection between coding and DNA in this book gives it a fresh premise and prompts thought about human nature and technology in our own world. Suvada found a balance between explaining the science-related aspects of the story so that it was realistic, while not getting bogged down with an overwhelming amount of detail. Though the book itself is fairly long, the story is filled with plot twists(!) and action to keep it moving. The title’s reference to HAMLET was also appreciated and added another layer to my reading of the novel. However, teens will enjoy THIS MORTAL COIL, regardless of their HAMLET knowledge.
In the year 2380, Tyler Jones, star cadet of Aurora Academy, is ready to graduate and take command of his own squad. Right before the ceremony, he rescues a teen girl from an abandoned ship in space and misses the entire thing. As a result, he gets stuck with the cadets no one else wanted: a snarky diplomat, an tough-but-kind ace pilot, a quiet scientist with no qualms about shooting her squadmates with a stun gun, a alien fighter with anger issues, and a smart aleck mechanic. Then there’s Aurora, who's been stuck in suspended animation for two centuries and is the key to uncovering a deadly conspiracy.
