Space Kids: The Journey of Hope by Alan Nettleton

Space Kids: The Journey of Hope is a middle grade science fiction book that was sent to me by the author. In a future society in 2068, scientists from the global organization Space Command want to study how children would function in space. They advertise to put together a team of children to do a mission in space. Sophie, Sahil, Jack, and Leena are selected to travel to exoplanet K2 18b, collect samples, and come back in a total of 3 months. However, things don't exactly go as planned, and they end up in a race to save an alien civilization from an extinction event.

You may not know this, but this is actually the second version of the book. Apparently my feedback was so useful to the author on the first version in 2020 that he actually unpublished it. I am wildly impressed with the changes that have occurred since then!

This concept has certainly been explored before. What makes Space Kids unique in comparison to the dozens of other books is the element of the telepathic communication. Sophie doesn't have "normal" dreams and nightmares like we do. Not to spoil anything, but her connectivity to the planet, as well as the mystery surrounding her dad's death, is an element that sets it apart. I'm not sure if the author intended to, but I found some of the dialogue to be very funny as well.

I can relate to Sophie, especially early on when she thought about the difficulties of having conversations with her peers that didn't seem childish. If this opportunity came to me when I was 12 years old, you bet I would have applied. In addition to how relatable Sophie was, I am happy that he decided to depict Leena as autistic. This book could empower kids with autism, as our society tends to put limits on children with that particular condition. One strategy that is very useful was Leena's repetition of the word "teacup", which for her means "T – C – U – P.  Think Clearly Under Pressure.” That is very clever, and it is something that I will remember for when I am a teacher.

In the book in this future reality, they have found a way to jump hyperspace, which is even faster than the speed of light. Theoretically, the acceleration alone would kill us almost instantly, which also means that they invented adequate inertial dampeners. At first, I thought that the reason for sending kids into space would be so that in the years it takes to reach the planet of destination, that they would be young adults. But an interesting point was brought up about how in an effort for colonization, children may be born in space, and thus research should be done to prepare for how they would behave. I took Planetary Geology in college last year, and I can say that Nettleton did a nice job accurately presenting some of the physics of space travel. The hyperdrive explanation actually made so much sense that I might use it if I get to teach astronomy.

The exoplanet that the author chose to focus on was K2 18b, which was an interesting choice. I will say that the likelihood of finding intelligent life on that planet, is very small. K2 18b is a planet of much debate. Just because it is in the habitable zone, it doesn't guarantee that it is. While research does back up it perhaps having an ocean (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ab7229), I think everyone agrees that the atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and definitely not breathable. It would have made more sense to make the planet be the TOI 700 d option discussed earlier in the book for the atmospheric composition stated. I did catch one error, where the book described the planet as being smaller than Earth, when actually K2 18b is over 8 times larger than Earth. However, I highly doubt that the middle grade readers would know that. 

I highly recommend this book! There will be a sequel titled Space Kids: The Alien Princess, that I cannot wait to read!

Title: Space Kids: The Journey of Hope
Author: Alan Nettleton
Publisher: Alan Nettleton
Pages: 271
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Psychic by TS Rose

Psychic is a YA science fiction book that was sent to me by the author, and was released today! Alpha Moore has telepathic powers, and can change the minds and perspective of others. She is guilt-ridden and fearful of her abilities since a tragedy occurred when she last used them. As she hides in a group home, she is discovered by another telepath, Sunday, and joins a government-sectioned school for teens with psychic powers. However, she soon becomes in danger when a terrorist organization wants to use her as a weapon.

A book featuring a school for teens with paranormal powers is not unique, and the surrounding premise reminds me of several other stories. But what is unique are the character relationships and specific plot twists. In the beginning of the book, I was convinced that it would be similar to Keeper of the Lost Cities, or Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but towards the middle of the story I was quickly proven wrong, as it turned into a darker thriller story set on stopping a deadly terrorist attack. While many plotlines are actually remarkably similar to Keeper of the Lost Cities, Psychic takes place in modern-day Britain, weaving a tale for older readers embedded with racism and political realities of immigration, war, addiction and abuse.

Psychic is impossible to put down with constant surprises! The author purposely put in misleading foreshadowing and hints. Just when I was positive that I had picked up on everything and knew exactly who the terrorist undercover at the school was, I was proven wrong by another shocking twist! Knowing what I know now at the end, it'll be interesting to read again and look for deeper subtitles in the exchanges between the characters. Psychic is definitely one of the more skillfully written books that I have read lately!

I've always thought that being a telepath would be particularly fun, and being able to change people's minds sounds awesome at first. What if you could stop someone from committing a crime? What if you had the power to change a corrupt political leader, or to make someone kinder to others? However, that ability isn't a gift as Alpha sees it, and Psychic shows the unintended consequence of actions such as those. 

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Psychic
Author: TS Rose
Publisher: Apprentice House Press
Pages: 365
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Blue Feathers, Bright Flames by Adrienne Mayse

Blue Feathers, Bright Flames is a YA magical realism short story that was sent to me by the author. Leigh Carpenter can't seem to get herself out of bed, and struggles with depression when she is awake. But when Leigh is asleep, she dreams of a land called Green where she feels lighter and has magic powers. She befriends a fox and bird, who help her fight the Darkness that is destroying it. While her real world and dream world start to blend together, Leigh seeks help from a psychiatrist. 

What's unique about this short story is that the reader actually isn't sure in the end if she really was psychotic and hallucinating (she likely has Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features) or if she really did/does have powers. It is common to have vivid dreams where you have powers and can control the surroundings, and it is true that elements and things from your dreams can be hallucinated. However, the author wove in her hallucinations with actual events in the story; is she hallucinating that another person could see the blue feather, or did she have powers to bring it out of her dreams? Or did she find the feather while walking to school one day and didn't remember it? 

Regardless of that question, the author did a great job in drawing a parallel between her fight with depression in the present and her fight with the Darkness in her dream world. The depiction of depression and the thoughts that go through one's head during their struggle with it was accurate. It is a quick read, but a worthwhile one if someone is looking to learn about depression or Bipolar disorder.

I highly recommend this short story and look forward to more from the author!

Title: Blue Feathers, Bright Flames
Author: Adrienne Mayse
Publisher: Adrienne Mayse via Kindle Direct Publishing
Pages: 98
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) by Asiel R. Lavie

The Crossing Gate is the first New Adult dystopian book in the Waltz of Sin and Fire series that was sent to me by the author. In the kingdom of Elpax, transitions between stages in life such as reaching adulthood must be done by walking through a Crossing Gate. Whenever seventeen-year-old Lenora (Leen) tries to cross, she experiences extreme dizziness and feels physically ill. Even stranger is that people aren't supposed to be able to experience emotions such as love until they have crossed into adulthood, and Leen can. On the run for her life, she realizes that she has a destiny to fulfill, and that rebelling might be the only way to save herself and her family. 

Leen has completed a remarkable journey and transformation into a young woman. Oh, my, what a magnificent story!

After a future WW3, the world seems to return to habits like its ancient civilizations, ie. the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian empires mentioned. Also interesting is that it weaves in accurate geography and more modern areas like Guatemala. While being a scifi dystopian book, it is clear to see how one day, our world could end up like theirs.  

It is a very powerful story with immense potential for the series to be as epic and well-known as The Darkest Minds or Delirium or Shatter Me or The Fifth Wave. I can definitely envision a film adaption; its fast pace and vivid setting already reads like an action movie. One of the things I love about getting books from self-published authors or smaller publishers is finding books that deserve more credit than they'll likely get. 

The love triangle between Leen, Jason, and Erick was remarkably set up. There is constantly a lot of information thrown at the reader at once, especially with the lapses of time. But who she has feelings for and why change rapidly along with each secret revealed. By the end, Leen, and myself, aren't sure who she should be with. I also have some questions. For one thing, I don't believe in love at first sight. Was that emotion triggering in her when she spotted Erick something manufactured, forced into her mind as part of her destiny, or would she have felt that way regardless even if she didn't have visions of him beforehand? 

While it is technically labeled as a Young Adult book, I feel that New Adult would be better suited. While the main character is 17, there are many scenes of violence and discussion of sexual content, along the lines of the mistreatment of women in their society. The forced medical exams, interrogations, and overall use of force by law enforcement were extreme, and it made me angry. It made Leen angry, too, but she struggled with coming to terms with what that emotion meant for her, if she's ready to lead a revolution. Luckily, destiny, along with the pent-up frustration of the citizens, ultimately decided for her. I'm excited to see how Leen takes on her new responsibilities and the emotional decisions she will have to make.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) 
Author: Asiel R. Lavie

Publisher: Absolute Author Publishing House
Pages: 416
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Firestarter Movies and Book Review

I saw a commercial on Peacock for the new remake of Stephen King's Firestarter, and it looked fantastic. I love science fiction/fantasy movies. I had never read the book, and decided to order it on Amazon after watching both the 2022 movie and the 1984 movie that afternoon. 

The premise of Firestarter is that a secret government agency called "The Shop" performed experiments on college students with a drug called Lot 6, which gave participants paranormal psychic abilities. Some could read minds, or got telekinetic powers. Two of those participants got married and had a child- Charlie. She can start fires with a single thought (pyrokinesis). Eventually The Shop finds them and kills her mother. Charlie and her father run for their lives, and Charlie will need to harness the powers she is afraid of in order to stay alive.

Like the 1984 Firestarter, this 2022 movie also did poorly in the box office. If you are deciding which Firestarter movie to watch, then you've come to the right place.

For starters, Stephen King had widely criticized the 1984 movie, mostly for the casting. While he thought that the actors had talent, he blamed the director for their acting being "flavorless." I agree entirely. While the original movie strayed closely to the book itself, I couldn't stand David Keith (the father) at all. Zac Efron has changed since his Disney days, and his interpretation of the character was much more sincere and actually believable. The emotional conflict in Ryan Kiera Armstrong (2022 Charlie) was more in-depth and raw compared to Drew Barrymore's (1984 Charlie). How Barrymore summoned the fire itself looked very... uncomfortable, and strange with gusts of wind blowing up her hair. The single biggest factor in watching a movie, in my opinion, is fondness for the characters. Armstrong and Efron had that in spades, along with a believable chemistry. 

For the complexity of the original book, the 2022 remake left a lot of the original story out, mostly the middle of the book. The first movie seemed to pack in a lot at once, and the new Firestarter chose to hone in on some of the most important scenes and relationship between father and daughter. I much prefer the new movie over the first movie and the book. I felt impatient to get to the end of Firestarter. About a hundred or so pages could have easily been left out, and the book actually seemed boring at times. I haven't read Stephen King before, so I don't know if super drawn-out plotlines is just his writing style.

The 2022 movie was only 1 hour and 34 minutes, even shorter than the 1984 version, which meant that many of the 564-page book's events had to be cut. Besides things being just left out, the biggest actual plot change came from the ending. Personally, I prefer the newer movie's ending over the book. The character Rainbird changed the most from the book and movie to the new one. In the originals, he is more of an evil psychopath, whereas in the new movie he is just another misunderstood and misguided experiment. I have zero idea why in the world the original movie decided to make him an old white guy when in the book he is specifically written as Native American. 

I highly recommend that you watch the new Firestarter movie on Peacock, and before you read the book (if you haven't already), or instead of the book. I fear that those who watch the movie will be too caught up on the differences from the expectations of the book to appreciate it, which is one of the reasons why movies based on books have challenges in the box office. 

I would rate the book 3 stars, the original movie 2 stars, and the new movie 5 stars.

Brief Explanation of New Adult Catagory

I finally got around to creating a new label- New Adult! Goodreads defines it as "bridg[ing] the gap between Young Adult and Adult genres. It typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 25". Many times I have written statements at the end of book reviews recommending books for older YA readers due to mature content, usually meaning sexual scenes and those with detailed violence. 

The Young Adult category usually has a target audience between 12 and 18 years of age. Now, there is a big difference between a 12-year-old's maturity and societal understanding compared to an 18-year-old's. I was one of those students who tried to read every single book in my middle school library. I certainly read some books with language and ideas that were unknown to me at the time, and definitely suited more to 8th graders instead of 6th, or in high school for 12th graders rather than 9th. I was also someone who always read at a further ahead reading level than my peers. 

I went back to every book review where I advised for older YA readers to read it or issued a content warning. and added it as New Adult. This should help older YA readers or parents who visit my blog! I do not plan to set out to review New Adult books, however I feel that will be a helpful guidance! 

~Julia

Fallen Thief (Merrows Book 2) by A.M. Robin

Fallen Thief is the second book in the middle grade fantasy series Merrows that was sent to me by the author. While merrows Mira and Kay have returned home, it is not with good news. Two of their dear friends are trapped in everlock sleep, the Shadowveils refuse to leave them or their families alone, and bullies and townsfolk refuse to accept their identity. Ultimately, as their powers grow, so does the magic hidden in their kingdom. Finding a legendary sorcerer deep in the ocean may be their only chance to save their friends.

Sometimes when I read books in a series, and haven't read the previous book in a while, (in this case in 2019), I end up confused and have to go re-read the previous book. Luckily, this wasn't the case. The author did a nice job refreshing the events of the previous story whilst telling this new one. Many books can feel disconnected from each other, but these synchronized.

While a heavy part of the book was on underwater adventures, another very meaningful theme was dealing with peer relations. A lot of people are afraid of what they do not understand and what is different. In addition to fighting the Shadowviels sent by the Empress of the Sea, Mira and Kay have to deal with their peers bullying them and the public's mistrust of their abilities. The children did not handle Collin's harassment well at times, which only made the depiction more realistic. 

Some books are easier to write reviews of than others. Have you ever tried a new food, for example, and liked how it tasted, but couldn't find the words to describe why?  I apologize for how short this is, however it is strangely difficult for me to explain why I enjoyed the story. I will say that Robin has an incredible imagination.

I highly recommend you read this book. See my review of the first book in this series, Hidden Scales. 

Title: Fallen Thief
Author: A.M. Robin
Publisher: A.M. Robin
Pages: 285
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Roman Identity (The Legend Book 2) by J.U. Scribe

The college semester is officially over, which means that now I have time to read and work on my blog again!

Roman Identity is the YA historical fiction full-length sequel to the middle grade short story Before the Legend. This book takes place 10 years later than the first, and was sent to me by the author. Troy is now 14 years old, and is trying to find his place in the world. His father highly favors his brother, Barbarius, over him, and views Troy as weak. As Troy tries to live up to the expectations and values of his father, he is faced with moral conflict on the treatment of a stray dog and of his slaves that challenges what it means to be a man.

I was very surprised that Troy had to write an essay on how history still lives in the present, as the teacher should have known that a key part of PTSD and childhood trauma is how it never fully goes away and still impacts them as adults. It is, however, a great opening to a central theme of the story and plotline. The pain of losing his mother has shaped his perspective on life and who he is, and I liked Troy's character development of realizing his own potential and that running from his pain will not heal him. 

Troy struggles with the emotional neglect of his family and his empathy for others being viewed as a weakness. He is faced with great challenge of either being himself or being the man that his father expects. He sees that slaves are people too, and treats them with kindness and mercy, contrary to the beliefs his father and brother hold. Kindness and respect for all people and animals is a trait that should be a strength in not only a leader, but a human. As it is historical fiction, Roman Identity is also educational for Roman society. 

I recommend this book! See my review of the first book here. 

Title: Roman Identity
Author: J.U. Scribe
Publisher: J.U. Scribe
Pages: 331
Series: Yes, Book 2 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Goodbye Song by Karl Kristian Flores

The Goodbye Song is an anthology collection featuring 10 poems, sonnets, haikus, letters, scenes, objects, definitions, directions, entries, and recipes that was sent to me by the author. It also won the 2021 American Fiction Award in Poetry: Anthologies.

The poems vary in rhyming sequences; some are abac pattern, (which is personally my favorite when writing traditional poetry since it allows for more flexibility) and some are aabb, and some are in free verse. Free verse poetry takes more skill since the possibilities are endless of what to write, and I struggle with that sometimes. "Sometimes I Cry When I ‘Donate’" is my favorite, not because of the length, but because of the raw honesty and important truths of homelessness and difficult family relationships. "I wish to live in a world where one day parents don’t say/'I worked my whole life for you,' but rather: 'I loved you every day.'" I find sonnets extremely fun to write, as I am very detailed-oriented. The intricacy of sonnets require vast skill and creativity. The author has that in spades. 

The letters that wrote to inanimate objects or personified ideas and were quite creative and hilarious like "Dear Stomach". (This is unrelated, but I love writing the opposite- from the viewpoint of the object or idea to a person.) But others were also serious in their own way, like "Dear Followers" and "Dear High School". I related to "Dear High School." For instance, I completely agree that the focus of history education in memorization of dates and fights and spelling of them is pointless compared to why's and how's. I also love physical textbooks like the boy named Shaun who 'wrote' it. One of the reasons I want to be a science teacher is because of this line: "Science is exciting, but you didn’t tell me why it was important... and so we became, like all teenagers before us, conditioned to try and not know why."

Of the short stories, the title of the book, The Goodbye Song, was my favorite and most relatable as I hate saying goodbye to teachers and leaving school. Of significant irony, Goodbye by Slipknot is playing on iHeartRadio as I type this. The diary/journaling sections were interesting to say the least. I always tried journaling but I could never actually remember to write in it so the entries ended up being something like this: "Dear Diary- now I'll tell you what happened in my life over the past 5 months." These characters were certainly much more dedicated than I was. Have you ever thought about doing a time capsule, writing a letter to yourself in the future? Well, stop putting it off or before you know it you'll be the age you were supposed to be reading it!

I actually thought going into this that the author was going to write 10 actual recipes that I could try to make; boy was I wrong! These are satires. Good thing I never liked tomato juice. The Nutrition Facts are more like lessons and key takeaways, which I suppose is accurate with the good cultural emphasis on eating healthier and making decisions based on the nutrition label.

I recommend this book! I would put this book in the new New Adult category and I recommend this book for readers 18+ due to some mature content. I would say that one complaint is that it is difficult to determine the audience as some of the poems and short stories are obviously for older adults such as "bedsheets" and some can be for high school students.

Title: The Goodbye Song
Author: Karl Kristian Flores
Publisher: Karl Kristian Flores
Pages: 311
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Idriel's Children (Odriel's Heirs Book 2) and Burning Shadows (Odriel's Heirs Book 1.5) by Hayley Reese Chow

Idriel's Children is the second book in the YA fantasy series Odriel's Heirs series. This book, as well as book 1.5, Burning Shadows, was sent to me by the author. Over 20 years after Kaia and Klaus, the Dragon and Shadow Heirs, defeat Idriel, they have children together. Aza inherits Klaus' gift for the shadows and invisibility, while her brother inherits their mother's fire. Aza has been warned repeatedly by her father to not cross into the Shadow Plane, the world between life and death, but she cannot resist the whispers calling for her aid. In following them, she faces shocking revelations about not only herself, but the world she thought she has known.

Aza faces some heavy internal conflict and learns some tough lessons. The shadow heir is also known as an assassin, having the strength of mind to kill without the devastating moral toll. As such, it comes with a burden of a curse of being destined to be alone. Despite having those who deeply care about her by her side, Aza believes that and the incapacity for her to have friends. In the end, she truly learns that being alone is a fate perhaps worse than death. Seeing her open up to emotion and the resulting heartbreak was tear-jerking. 

I read Idriel's Children out of order. I should have read Burning Shadows first! As a result, I did not realize that Kaia was Ava's mother and was slightly confused. Looking back now, many small moments in Idriel's Children are clearer. I am normally a bit weary of short stories, as some I've read don't have a significant amount of detail or plot development. This was not the case, and I was pleasantly surprised. Burning Shadows focuses on the emergence of the Rastgol and one particularly brutal fight that challenges and strengthens Kaia and Klaus' relationship. It's a touching story of partnership and loyalty. It does contain some disturbing images and torture tactics, and Kaia struggled with her morals on how to fight with mercy despite them not deserving it.

I highly recommend these books! Chow has promised for there to be another full book in the Ordriel's Heirs series, Time's Orphan, and a book 2.5 that she is hoping to publish late 2022. I can't wait to read them!

Read my review of the first book, Odriel's Heirs, here.  Also see my review of the author's middle grade fantasy book The Gatekeeper of Pericael here.

Title: Idriel's Children and Burning Shadows 
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publisher: Hayley Reese Chow
Pages: 203 and 68
Series: Yes, Book 2 and 1.5
Rating: Both 5 Stars
Book 2 Goodreads

Book 1.5 Goodreads