Freakling by Lana Krumwiede

Premise: In twelve-year-old Taemon’s city, everyone has a power called psi—the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. (from Goodreads)

Title and Author: Freakling by Lana Krumwiede
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand-Alone: 1st book of 2 (so far)
Content appropriate for: Grades 6-8
Format: Gifted hardback

Three adjectives that describe this book: intense, unique, futuristic

Dystopia is all the rage these days (Think Hunger Games and Divergent). Sometimes dystopian books seem too similar, like there's nothing new out there anymore. But, no! Freakling is an entirely unique and wholly engrossing dystopia.

Action-Packed Space Crazy-Time: The Lost Planet Review

Premise: A young boy wakes up in a high-security compound on a strange planet with a head wound and no memory. Soon he learns that his name is Chase and that there is something strange about his ID chip. Desperate to discover his past, Chase embarks on a space adventure.

Title: The Lost Planet
Author: Rachel Searles
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Possibly book 1 in a new series
Content Appropriate for: grades 4-7
Format: Digital ARC courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher (Macmillan). Due out January 28, 2014.

Three adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, fast-paced, futuristic

Overall I enjoyed The Lost Planet. The plot was very action-driven with lots of chase scenes, near-death escapes, and being captured by the bad guys. As such, it held my interest. However, the characters and world weren't very well developed. Some of the alien species, planets, and technology piqued my interest, but we only got to know them on a surface level. These interesting pieces acted more as props. As someone who absolutely loves world-building, this oversight was terribly disappointing and a bit annoying to me. Still, the plot was engaging and fun.

The book's main characters, Chase and Parker, were rather typical middle grades protagonists, stubbornly believing untruths, even when all evidence implores them to see things differently. I find this type of protagonist very annoying. Most middle graders don't seem to mind characters who are a bit slow on the up-take, so I know these characters will stay prevalent. I just prefer smart characters and authors who trust their reader to figure things out for themselves.

Bottom line: The action in this book will hook readers, especially those who already love space adventures. I think The Lost Planet will appeal to middle graders who enjoy action and have enough sci-fi background knowledge to fill in the gaps in development. There's a lot of potential here, and some surprising twists at the end hint at a sequel. Maybe that one will be more fleshed out.

3 stars

Abbreviated Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Abbreviated Reviews are just that... short, sweet, and to the point. Thanks for visiting.
Premise: Cinder, the cyborg fugitive, has escaped from prison and is desperately searching for answers to her mysterious Lunar past before being captured and killed. Meanwhile, Scarlet's grandmother is missing and a strangely dangerous man, Wolf, offers to help. Both stories reach fever-pitch when they meet up and must work together to evade Queen Levana's forces.

Title & Author: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Length: 454 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles
Content Appropriate for: Grades 6-12

Three adjectives that describe this book: futuristic, exciting, intriguing

In this installment of Meyer's futuristic revamp of classic fairy tales, the battle between Earth and Luna is rapidly approaching. Wow! Wow! Wow! I loved the first book, Cinder, but Scarlet really ratcheted up the intensity. And the way Marissa Meyer wove in the key elements of Little Red Riding Hood - genius! I also appreciate how the romance element is minimized, realistic, and valuable to the plot. That combination is hard to come by in YA these days. Eagerly awaiting book 3!

5 stars

A Slightly Disturbing, but Totally Engaging Sci-Fi Future

Premise: In this future world, robots are ubiquitous. Even your house talks to you. Gavin and Fleur may come from a middle class family, but even they have a family robot. But Eager is not like any other robot - he can think for himself and even has feelings. As Eager tries to understand the human world around him, Gavin and Fleur notice that the new ultra high-tech BDC4 robots are acting suspiciously. Now Gavin, Fleur, and Eager are drawn into a menacing world where robots and humans may not be as compatible as they once believed.

Title: Eager
Author: Helen Fox
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content Appropriate For: Grades 4-8

Three Adjectives That Describe This Book: entertaining, futuristic, nerdy

There aren't many robot-based science fiction novels for middle grades readers, and this one sets a high standard for future entries. First published in 2003, this novel has one key element that you would expect (What if robots turned on humans?), but it is far from predictable. Helen Fox creates a world that is fully believable and lot of fun.

The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos

Premise: 13 year old Mason Stark spends his summers with other cadets aboard military vessels in the Earth Space Command. When the adults on board are captured by enemy aliens, the Tremist, Mason is suddenly forced to lead the group of barely trained children on a dangerous rescue mission.

Title: The Planet Thieves
Author: Dan Krokos
Length: 256 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand-Alone: This is the first book in a new series
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-8
Format: Digital ARC from Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley.com

3 adjectives that describe this book: page-turner, futuristic, nerdy

First things first... I LOVED this book! The Planet Thieves is pure science fiction - set on a space ship, fighting aliens, far in the future. You don't find many books like this for the MG crowd. And this one is a page-turner from start to finish. As a girl who grew up watching every incarnation of Star Trek (though Next Generation and Voyager are my favorites), I felt right at home in this book. Dan Krokos taps into established elements of the genre - we spend a lot of time on "the bridge" and the characters even use tractor beams! The Planet Thieves made my nerdself sing happy songs.

Shade's Children by Garth Nix

Premise: Set in a future dystopia, where the Overlords have decreed that no human can live past their 14th birthday, four fugitive teens set out to put society back on track. Under the watchful eyes of their once-human mentor, Shade, they come face to face with all manner of evils.

Title: Shade's Children

Author: Garth Nix
Length: 345 pages
Genre: Science Fiction ~ Dystopia
Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 9-12 (some adult content)

3 adjectives that describe this book: futuristic, gritty, action-packed

After reading (and loving) Nix's Sabriel earlier this month, I decided to seek out more of his work. I really enjoy good dystopian fiction, but lately they all seem the same. Shade's Children was remarkably fresh and appropriately dark. The world of this book is the near-future, making the story terrifyingly believable.

The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi

Premise: Eva Nine is a human being raised underground by a motherly robot. She has lived her entire life alone with the robot and she's desperate to get out and find all the other humans. When she makes it above ground, things are not how she imagined. There are giant, dangerous creatures set on capturing her! And trees that walk! WHAT?!

Title: The Search for WondLa
Author: Tony DiTerlizzi
Length: 466 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand-Alone: Book one in the WondLa trilogy
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-10

5 stars

3 adjectives that describe this book: memorable, breathtaking, futuristic

WOW! After holding this book in my hands and seeing the incredible illustrations, I just knew I would love The Search for WondLa. I just didn't know how much I would love it. Tony DiTerlizzi has absolutely blown my mind! Each chapter opens with a gorgeous full page illustration in in only 2 colors. Each one could stand alone as a work of art.