Ryka Aoki's Light from Uncommon Stars is full of many of my favorite things from both life and literature.There's music and an exploration of genius. There are alien refugees. (Actual aliens, not "illegal aliens.") There are demon contracts.And did I mention the donuts?Or the dozens of fabulous Asian dishes I…
The Last Cuentista, by Donna Barba Higuera, is such a good book. Strong characters, fascinating family dynamics, storytelling... And a run for the stars as the world crumbles around the characters. And that's just the beginning. Seriously, this is a fabulous story that makes me think about the importance of…
Leaving Hope Chapter 15--In which Anya tries to talk to Ryan Lancet, who is avoiding her--and being avoided by Borsk.Talking things through only works if you can manage to connect with that person. Sometimes that connection takes the cooperation of the other person.Have you ever tried to avoid a looming…
Leaving Hope Chapter 14--In which Anya's rebellious art goes public, and she misleads her father about her colony intentions. What do you think of Anya's strategy for dealing with her father in this chapter? Clever? Deceptive? Doomed to failure? Some of all of that? Something else? Remember to leave your…
Leaving Hope Chapter 13--In which Borsk finishes his hacking job, argues with his family, and has a showdown with Ryan Lancet. This was a fun chapter to write---as are all the scenes where Ryan and Borsk have to deal with each other--they're such different people. How well do you think…
Leaving Hope Chapter 12--in which Anya gets surprisingly invested in math homework, and Borsk untangles a digital disaster.Unlike Anya, I love math, and in this chapter, I got to play around with how someone who isn't as naturally attracted to the subject might find a way in.Have you ever had…
Leaving Hope Chapter 10--ln which Anya finds a Wash-n-Wear place, and Sarka sends Borsk on a rescue mission. Anya's a rich kid, and as such, there are certain things she's never done. Using a public shower and laundry is one of them. Now, I'm not from a society that has…
Leaving Hope Chapter 9--in which Anya has a run-in with her father and is forced to flee home (at least temporarily) This is a super short chapter, so there isn't a whole lot to say--except that this is one of the first places where we see how little privacy Anya…
Leaving Hope Chapter 8--in which Anya discovers new restrictions on her life and one of Borsks secrets is uncovered. I love this chapter because it gets us a little deeper into Borsk's family, introduces a new neighborhood, and drops us right into a few sticky issues since I've been thinking…
Leaving Hope Chapter 7--in which Borsk and Anya exercise their talents and one of them is nearly late to school I love this chapter because it lets us see both Anya and Borsk doing what they do best. So, what do you think? When Anya messes around with art instead…
Leaving Hope Chapter 6--in which Anya reevaluates her relationship with Ryan. She also develops a plan for convincing him to try out with her. Though Anya isn't thrilled with Ryan, she'd rather let it continue than bring her father's wrath down on her head. She believes these are her only…
Leaving Hope Chapter 5--in which Anya and Borsk share a greenhouse detention on the grape trellis -- and then a meal with Borsk's mama. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, especially the part in the greenhouses when Anya and Borsk are pollinating the grapes. I read about…
Leaving Hope Chapter 4--in which Anya's father shows his true colors, and Anya uncovers Borsk's shenanigans with her bank account. This, by the way, is one of the chapters that might need a trigger warning. (Domestic abuse) And, might I just say, the action that Anya witnesses at the beginning…
Leaving Hope Chapter 3--in which Anya fails to express herself to Ryan, and Borsk pulls off a tricky hacking job. I have some conflict avoiders in my family, and Anya definitely takes after them in that regard. Obviously, what she's doing now to try and follow her dreams isn't working,…
Leaving Hope Chapter 2–in which we meet Anya and Borsk's families. I know which I'd rather live in, for sure.Families--and especially sibling relationships are a blast to write. And though none of the characters here are based on anyone in my family, the general feeling, especially in the restaurant, makes…
Leaving Hope Chapter 1--in which we meet Anya, Borsk, and a few other main players, including Mr. Greeley (aka Sam Greeley from Hope Gardens). A video of me actually reading it is on my Youtube channel (or you can watch below).Did you know that in the first draft of this book,…
This Versatile Layer collection by Thomas K Davis includes a fun set of science fiction novels. Not young adult, exactly, it still contains great coming-of-age stories. It's reasonably clean, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for teens. This sweeping space opera follows stories of people stuck in a conflict…
Marie Lu's Skyhunter isn't quite as good as her The Kingdom of Back. But it's still an incredible book, and I'll be looking for the sequels. The book stars a talented young woman from the wrong side of town. Her superpower seems to be her inability to speak--a relic left…
R. L. S. Hoff's Golden Terrace Colony series starts with Leaving Hope, continues in StarRacer, and ends with Shindashir--which I hope to publish in June of 2025.This Read-Along goes through Leaving Hope chapter by chapter with discussion questions that you're welcome (encouraged!) to respond to in the comments. Soon, there will…
JL Kaiser's Aeon The Sands of Undal has a great main character, wonderful world-building, and lots of food for thought. Caiia Shadi is smart, resourceful, a bit unconventional, and exceptionally loyal to her family--and to friends. I love how she makes her own path in a world that leaves no…
Theresa Kay’s Broken Skies is a young adult science fiction novel about Jax, a traumatized young woman, living in a post-apocalyptic world. Disease has decimated the human population, and aliens are colonizing Earth.Then some of those aliens kidnap Jax’s brother, leaving one of their own behind, wounded. Jax makes a…
Beyond by M. C. Winkkle is a young adult science fiction book. It stars Stella, a young woman who is being held captive as an alien spy. However, Stella’s no spy. She’s just an ordinary girl who has had trouble fitting in with the other kids. She has a close…
I picked this up from the library after a friend recommended it on Goodreads, and it’s every bit as good as she said it was. I’m probably going to want to get a copy of my own of this stunning little gem at some point.When Binti leaves home to attend…
My fourteen-year old has been begging me to read this one for at least a year now–and it’s spectacular. I love the world-building. Everything from Cinder’s cyborg parts to her stall in the market is shown in beautiful detail that makes the story come alive. And, of course, fairy-tale retellings…
This book immersed me in a world of cold and ice, where devious politics threatened to overwhelm me–and the androgyny of the people seemed among the most normal things about them.As Le Guin says in her introduction,Yes, indeed the people in it are androgynous, but that doesn’t mean that I’m…
An Acceptable Time is a nice enough story about Polly, one of Meg and Calvin's kids. But, it doesn't have quite the magic of A Wrinkle in Time or the other books in that series. I'm not entirely sure what makes the difference. It might be that the science is…