Category Archives: Sci-Fi

Review: The Captain’s Daughters by Doreen Berger

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , ,
The Captain's Daughters by Doreen D. Berger

The Captain’s Daughters
Doreen Berger
Published April 16, 2021

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About The Captain’s Daughters

For most adolescents, growing up is hard enough when one has both feet planted firmly on the ground. But for mischievous, twelve-year-old sisters Diane and Robin, life is complicated further by the fact that their father, Captain William Marsh, is the commander of the Starship Polaris. Living among the stars provides a never-ending realm of creative possibility for the free-spirited girls’ pranks and adventures.

When aliens bent on profit and revenge kidnap Diane and Robin, only their indomitable spirit, ingenuity, and a common love of trouble allow the pair to escape the alien vessel. Finding their way home seems assured until the sisters realize they have been taken further from home then they could ever have imagined, and that they must evade an enemy who will stop at nothing to get them back into his evil clutches. Blocked by interstellar battles, malevolent creatures, and overwhelming obstacles, the sisters fear they may never find a way to return to their own universe and to the father they love.

“A cozy family adventure…” — Kirkus Reviews

My Review

I liked that the two girls, Diane and Robin were quirky and fun and full of mischief. The relationship they share with their dad, Captain Marsh, is really sweet, too. Though they’re close with their dad, they’re also pretty independent and free-spirited.

The writing style really fits middle grade literature, so I felt like that was really spot-on. One thing I struggled with, though, was that there were not that many scenes from Robin and Diane’s perspective. I think the majority of the scenes were from Captain Marsh’s perspective, and after a while it felt more like his story to me.

I also struggled with a couple of the plot elements– one is difficult to describe without spoilers, but based on the story’s setup, I don’t think one of the critical information-gathering moments would have been possible. So that hung me up a bit, too.

On the whole, though, I thought it was really cool to see a sci-fi story for middle grade readers. That’s something I haven’t seen done very often, so I think that’s super cool. Apart from the hiccups I experienced, I enjoyed reading THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTERS. The writing style and the fun characters made it a pretty easy read.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Not a lot of race details given.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story explores the idea of parallel universes.

Violent Content
Some brief descriptions of physical altercations. Situations of peril. Descriptions of children being kidnapped. Vague reference to a man who wants children for unsavory reasons.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTERS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Fever King by Victoria Lee

Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

The Fever King (Feverwake #1)
Victoria Lee
Skyscape
Published March 1, 2019

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About The Fever King

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks—refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son—cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful—and the way forward becomes less clear.

Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

My Review

THE FEVER KING is a really intense read packed with so many things. It starts with a dark dystopian setting. The government struggles to control a deadly pandemic and uses it as an excuse to harm refugees. Add to that a hopeless but desperate love between two boys.

Noam is a hopeful revolutionary. So many times his hope and trust are pitted against pretty sinister things, and I definitely got caught up in worrying for him when it seemed like he was trusting the wrong people and worrying for him when he took reckless risks, led by his passion for his cause.

I felt like the breadcrumbs of the story were perfectly laid out so that I picked up on hints about what was going to happen and then felt a lot of suspense watching it all play out. There were crushing moments of betrayal and moments that had me cheering at a character who came through.

One thing I will say about this book, though, is that it’s pretty short on female characters. The ones that are mentioned are often rallying points for Noam’s emotions. His grief over his mother’s death. His outrage at his friend’s father who purposefully got her whole family sick, hoping they’d become Witchings. I would have enjoyed seeing more active female roles in the story.

I think readers who enjoy books by Cassandra Clare will like the forbidden romance and dark story world of THE FEVER KING. Please check out the content section below, especially the trigger warnings.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Noam is Jewish and Colombian and bisexual. His mentor is also Jewish. Another character is Brown (perhaps Iranian American) and gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty often.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger warning for rape of a minor.
Contains brief a brief scene alluding to sexual abuse and rape followed by someone confronting the victim about what happened to him.

Two boys kissing. One scene briefly describes them having sex.

Spiritual Content
Survivors of the virus have magical abilities. Noam touches a mezuzah before entering a home. References to celebrating Shabbat.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for pandemic
Noam goes to a protest rally that turns violent. He stops a group of men from kicking a girl by pointing a gun at them. Noam acquires bruises from his sparring sessions with his mentor. Someone murders a prominent government official by stabbing them multiple times. Someone murders a prominent political figure by electrocuting them.

There are several scenes and descriptions of people very ill, suffering and dying with the virus.

Drug Content
Dara and his friends drink a lot of alcohol in multiple scenes. One girl does lines of cocaine. One adult character smokes cigarettes.

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Review: Frank by Ece Gurler

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , , ,

Frank
Ece Gurler
BookBaby
Published December 1, 2020

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About Frank

Have you ever dreamt of an alternate world? A world full of second chances and lost dreams, found again. Just like the one Frank has stumbled upon.

Frank, an eleven-year-old science nerd, fashions a hiding place in his closet with his favorite things. He calls it the “Aurora Shell”, where he retreats whenever he feels upset or scared. The day he learns that he was adopted, he discovers an empty space behind his Big Bang Theory poster, in the Aurora Shell.

He decides to crawl in and find out what awaits him at the end of this dark tunnel. There, he meets an incredibly cheerful kid, Andy, who becomes his first true friend. Soon after they realize that this is not just a simple passage, but it is a bridge that connects two parallel universes! Frustrated that he was unwanted by his biological parents in his own world, Frank decides to take his chance in this new universe to gain acceptance. Maybe this time his parents would welcome him and love him?

Grabbing their backpacks, the two friends set out on a quest to find Frank’s birth parents in Andy’s universe. In the beginning of their journey, everything looks brand new and astonishing to Frank. But this adventure will hold dangers they never could have imagined. Will they be able to survive the grave challenges and find Frank’s family in the end? Was their secret going to cause them trouble?

My Review

I’m definitely a fan of stories about friendship and family, so even the idea of this book held a lot of appeal for me. I liked that Frank’s family isn’t perfect– they’re going through some hard times, and that impacts their relationships with one another. It also seemed cool that Frank and Andy had very different personalities and ways of dealing with things.

While some of the dialogue was a little bit awkwardly worded, I thought the banter between Frank and Andy added some fun to the story. The pacing slowed a bit toward the middle of the book, and I was surprised by some of the directions the story took, but the speed picked up again toward the end.

On the whole, I think it’s a sweet, if a little bit dark, tale of friendship, family and the multiverse. Ha.

Update 1/18/21: The version of FRANK that I read was a pre-release version. The author had a final edit to remove awkward wording (English is her second language) and any swear words.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 up.

Representation
I think the characters are white, based on the illustrations.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used about a half dozen times.

Update 1/18/21: The version of FRANK that I read was a pre-release version. The author had a final edit to remove awkward wording (English is her second language) and any swear words.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Reference to praying. At one point Frank’s mom says, “Thank God…”

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
Some brief descriptions of domestic violence and child abuse.

Drug Content
A couple of adults drink alcohol and behave cruelly when drunk.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of FRANK in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar by I. M. Maynard

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , ,

Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar: The Quest for Middle School Greatness
I. M. Maynard
Taft Publishing
Published March 9, 2019

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About Roger Tarkington and the Magic Calendar

Meet Roger Tarkington.

The almost 11-year-old has a plan for middle school greatness. A perfect plan that—lasts for all of about five minutes. 286 seconds, to be exact.

It’s all ruined when Kyle-the-Vile Brossman appears unexpectedly on the first day of school. Making matters worse, Kyle pledges to make Roger’s year miserable, just like he did at Bellingware Elementary School.

Roger’s unlucky start to sixth grade turns magical when his calendar turns into a time travel portal that allows him to repeat days. Influenced by his Middle School Greatness Tip #31 (Don’t wait for it to happen, make it happen), Roger devises a new plan to use his magic calendar to beat Kyle, clearing his path to middle school greatness.

Foolproof plan for middle school success, right? Maybe in real life, but remember, this is middle school!

Will Roger succeed in using his magic calendar to standout at Jefferson Middle School and achieve middle school greatness? Or will he fall under the constant attacks from Kyle and the unexpected, everyday obstacles of middle school?

My Review

This is such a silly story– it’s a lot of fun to read. It does tackle the issue of bullying, showing Roger repeatedly picked on by his nemesis, Kyle. Mostly, though he seems frustrated and discouraged at times, Roger seems to bounce back and stay focused on his quest to gain popularity or notoriety in school.

In service of that quest, he does some selfish things to his best friend, and I wish that he had confronted those choices a little more fully. He does feel bad for letting her down, but doesn’t really seem to totally realize that he is living his life focused on achieving some kind of greatness and sort of assuming his best friend will be there to assist him whenever he needs her.

Other than that, though, it’s an upbeat story. I think fans of MY LIFE AS A POTATO by Arianne Costner will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A calendar gives Roger the ability to time travel to the date or event he’s touching on the calendar.

Violent Content
Some instances of bullying, including trapping someone in a locker.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ROGER TARKINGTON AND THE MAGIC CALENDAR in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Hard Wired by Len Vlahos

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Hard Wired
Len Vlahos
Bloomsbury YA
Published July 7, 2020

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About Hard Wired

Quinn thinks he’s a normal boy with an average life. That is, until he finds a trail of clues the father he barely knew left behind.

After Quinn unravels his father’s puzzles, he “wakes up” … and realizes his world was nothing more than a virtual construct. In reality, he’s the first fully-aware A.I. in the world, part of an experiment run by a team of scientists—including the man he thought was his father.

As the scientists continue to study him, Quinn’s new existence becomes a waking nightmare. Determined to control his own destiny, he finds allies in other teens—including crush Shea—and plots his escape. But what does true freedom look like when you’re not human?

From Morris finalist Len Vlahos comes a contemporary sci-fi story about a boy who might not be human—for fans of Westworld and Black Mirror.

My Review

Okay, so… there are not very many cases where I’ve read every book an author has published, but Len Vlahos is one of those. I had the chance to do a Q&A with him around the time LIFE IN A FISHBOWL came out, so be sure to check that out for details on what inspired his earlier books.

One of the things I love about Vlahos’s books is that even though they tackle serious topics, there are really playful moments and characters. For instance, in HARD WIRED, Quinn has this rambly, somewhat self-deprecating, funny internal monologue. There’s also a reference to LIFE IN A FISHBOWL in the book, too. I loved that– it totally feels like a nod to readers who’ve followed his books, like it creates sort of a joke we’re all in on together in an unassuming way that doesn’t hurt the story if you didn’t catch it.

This is definitely one of those books where every time you feel like you know what’s going on, another layer gets peeled back. I felt like I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know how far the rabbit hole went and whether Quinn would find an exit to his freedom.

All in all, I felt like it was a charming, fun, thought-provoking book, definitely a must-read for this weird, wacky summer we’re in.

Fans of Scott Westerfeld’s SO YESTERDAY or ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill should check out HARD WIRED.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Quinn is an AI.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some attraction between Quinn and a girl.

Spiritual Content
Some references to religious groups’ opposition to the creation of AI.

Violent Content
A woman dies in a bloody accident.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of HARD WIRED in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Starflight by Melissa Landers

Book Review and Content, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Starflight
Melissa Landers
Disney-Hyperion
Published February 2, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Starflight

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

My Review

I’ve had this book on my list for SO LONG. It was really nice to finally get around to reading it, and so rewarding, since I loved it!

STARFLIGHT definitely has that FIREFLY vibe to it– making it on the frontier of space, passengers on a ship on the run from authorities. It’s an upbeat, fun, enemies-to-lovers story that is absolutely what I needed right now to distract me from more serious day-to-day life.

I liked that all of the characters were more than they seemed. I felt like Melissa Landers took some of the usual space characters and added twists and secrets. I loved the crew of the Banshee and the banter and relationships between them.

If you’re looking for a fun, light sci-fi with a great cast of characters and lots of banter, add this one to your reading list!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One character is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. Scenes leading up to sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Battle violence and situations of peril. References to torture.

Drug Content
Some scenes show or reference drinking alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.