A well-developed tale of teen angst in the future, rooted in telepathy.
In Crenshaw’s YA SF series starter, a teenager reeling from his mother’s murder learns that he has psychic powers.
In the 23rd century, Erik Ayana aspires to attend Ares Space Academy, an off-planet school dedicated to science and space exploration. But Erik’s life has been thrown into tumult by the untimely death of his mother, a high-profile creator of ultra-logical androids that seem superficially identical to people, used as domestics and companions; Erik’s “brother” Andi is one of them. But then Erik has a vivid vision that reveals that his mother was actually pushed off a roof to her death by a colleague—apparently because she gave Andi forbidden human qualities (including blood). But more central to the plotline is what gave Erik this shattering insight: the awakening of his dormant, inherited psychic powers. He’s descended from two families of powerful psychics, a minority group whose potential for mayhem makes them despised by much of the populace and forced to keep to themselves. While Erik adapts to life at Ares and the sensational looming murder inquest, he also grapples with implications of his mental powers—and the fact that he’s connected to the Ayar and Arena mind-reader dynasties, who regard Erik with fascination and revulsion due to the extraordinary reality-warping capability inherent in his DNA. Much of Crenshaw’s narrative takes place in the shape-shifting milieu of telepathic communication—an immaterial setting that the author cleverly visualizes in terms of the “Inscape,” a virtual construct of houses and neighborhoods representing human brains (and sometimes superbrains). Although the romance quotient in this story is very low, the strong characterizations and the atmosphere featuring hidden masters in the shadows favorably compares with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, with its young protagonist inducted into an intrigue-ridden, sinister underworld. That said, a few subplots seem to get lost in the shuffle—particularly Andi’s plight as banned technology. However, this book is a promising start to a series, and its ending leaves the door open to plenty of sequel possibilities.
A well-developed tale of teen angst in the future, rooted in telepathy.Pub Date: March 28, 2021
ISBN: 979-8-59-596572-9
Page Count: 314
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love.
The lives of two Los Angeles girls inhabiting different universes intersect, proving that love knows no bounds.
Brenda Nguyen has a 19-step plan to save the world. Kat Woo is haunted by her legacy as the chosen one, a role she has no interest in. Brenda, working on an environmental science college scholarship application, stumbles into Sammy’s Coffee and Pick-Me-Ups, which Kat’s family owns. As the girls get to know each other, Brenda at last finds someone who’ll listen to her detailed plans, while Kat discovers she has something to look forward to. The girls, who alternate narrating the story, must defy the odds as their worlds begin to collide. As well as being a love story, this is an exploration of familial expectations: Kat is trying to outrun them, while Brenda is driven to fulfill hers. The girls, who are of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, respectively, complement each other: Brenda learns to live in the present, and Kat begins to look to the future. While there are pixie swarms and mana surges, the action takes a back seat to characterization. Lee’s fully developed parallel worlds are alike in many ways, although in Kat’s, you can buy teleportation spells at Target. The cast is rounded out by solid portrayals of the girls’ friends and family, who are important to the plot.
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love. (author’s note, recommended reading) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250778024
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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