Book Reviews YA-Sciencefiction!

I love to read, and book reviews YA-sciencefiction includes some amazing family books! Along with public libraries, I’m a huge fan of independent book stores, including my favorite (which is right here in Denver), the Tattered Cover. Also check out Barnes & Noble   or this list of independent bookstores. These book suggestions can be found online at all or most of these stores, (as well as at Amazon ). I hope these book reviews YA-sciencefiction will help tremendously with gifts and book suggestions!

Oh, and what is a dystopic world? It's one where life is miserable -- kind of a worst-case-scenario-type world.

Here’s the basic key I will use when reviewing the plots of these possible family books:

* = sweet book (these, to me, are books which lack angst or intensity/edge -- although I also enjoy books with the edge/angst, sweet books aren’t as easy to find in the current market)

For those books which I loved and will read again, you'll find a favorite in Robin's Take (RT). Stay tuned, and don't hesitate to check back to book reviews YA-sciencefiction often for updates!

The pictures of the covers link to the book’s Powell's or Barnes & Noble page. The titles link to The Tattered Cover.

Ender's Game , by Orson Scott Card (V, I)

Ender is sent to Battle School to learn how to fight in preparation for the Buggers' next visit to Earth and deals with bullies of all ages as he tries to master the games.
DWI: friendship; courage; compassion for others
RT: Favorite because of the action and Ender's goodness and brilliance.

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner (L, V, I)

Thomas wakes up in a box, and when the doors open, he finds himself in a new world -- and the next day, a girl appears, and everything changes in the maze where Thomas and the other boys now live, and Thomas is determined to discover what's going on.
DWI: survival; trust
RT: This is a fascinating look at a dystopic world. Thomas is an intelligent and intriguing character, and his link with the girl adds tension and suspense to an already well-paced tale.

The Compound , by S.A. Bodeen (L, I, V)

Eli and his family escape into the family's underground compound when the end of the world comes (just as his father has predicted) -- but Eli's twin brother and his grandma are left behind...after months below ground, Eli begins to suspect his father might have been mistaken about what happened, but how can he escape to find out?
DWI: family loyalty; seeking the truth; how far will you go
RT: Favorite because of the tense story and exciting twists and turns -- it kept me guessing right up to the very end!

The Gardener, by S.A. Bodeen (I)

Mason likes to protect people, but when he impulsively helps a strange girl escape the nursing home where his mom works, he soon discovers that he's found a key to secrets he didn't know existed -- a key he's not sure he wants.
DWI: sacrifice; living today versus saving tomorrow
RT: Favorite because Mason is a great, caring character whose courage is inspirational -- and the details of the science behind the concept of his world is fascinating.

Candor, by Pam Bachorz (L, mild S)

Oscar knows his dad is responsible for the subliminal messages controlling all the kids in town, but Oscar also uses messages to get some kids out -- it goes swimmingly until Oscar falls for one of the girls he hopes to save.
DWI: self-sacrifice; mental strength
RT: I enjoyed this quite a bit because of Oscar's complex character -- the sadness, the longing, the teen angst and love -- it all came together to create a very sympathetic and realistic character.

Hunger Games , by Suzanne Collins (S, V, I, L)

Katniss takes her sister's place in the post-apocalyptic, North American hunger games, a game of survival played to the death.
DWI: rules of survival
RT: This story will stay with you, not only because of the clever twists Katniss and Peeta bring about, but also because of the frightening look at a dystopic future.

Catching Fire , by Suzanne Collins (S, V, I)

Katniss, Peeta, and Gale are back in the second book -- and the have more challenges than ever as the Capitol decides it's time to test everyone's loyalty.
DWI: fighting for freedom
RT: Favorite because of the intensity and amazing pacing with which this story flows -- I couldn't put it down!


One of the things I especially enjoy about teen science fiction, as this page of book reviews YA-sciencefiction shows, is the variety in sub-genres -- from classic science fiction to post-apocalyptic to dystopia -- it all works!

Gone , by Michael Grant (S, I, L, graphic V)

One afternoon in class, Sam and his classmates are stunned when everyone older than 14 suddenly vanishes -- the kids left behind have to figure out how to survive and build a new society in the midst of sadness, greed, and fear.
DWI: justice/mercy, kids in charge
RT: Favorite because of the intriguing look at a dystopic world where kids must be adults and learn how to rule with wisdom and understanding -- and how to deal with those who don't.

Hunger , by Michael Grant (S, I, L, graphic V)

Sam is the leader of part of the kids -- but his enemies are gaining strength, and the growing hunger as food runs out is making the kids crazy.
DWI: how would you lead in this type of situation?
RT: Favorite because of the fascinating look into this possibility of kids forced to act as adults -- and Sam's wisdom, struggles, and hard work make him a very sympathetic character.

Lies, Michael Grant (V, L, I)

Sam and Astrid continue to worry about how to deal with the problems in the FAYZ, but when Zil works with Caine to get rid of the 'freaks', everything falls apart -- and Sam doesn't know what to believe.
DWI: building a strong and fair society
RT: Favorite because Sam is still courageous and human, struggling over right versus wrong while hoping to lead the others. The tension increases palpably in this installation, and most readers will be left eagerly anticipating the next book.

Epitaph Road, by David Patneaude (mild V)

Kellen's one of the few males born after a virus kills 97% of the world's males -- and years later, when another outbreak looms, Kellen discovers some frightening truths about the origin of it all and sets off to find his dad and save him.
DWI: science and ethics
RT: I liked this, without a doubt. It has many interesting ideas in it, and although I want to see more about this world, I found this book to be a good introduction.

The Line, by Teri Hall (I)

Rachel has lived her entire life (that she remembers) on The Property, which is right next to the Line, the invisible boundary between the Unified States and Away -- but she's always been curious about Away; one night, a strange light catches her attention, and everything she thought she knew about truth -- and her dead dad -- shifts.
DWI: government control; freedom to pursue your own life
RT: Favorite because of the intriguing world-building and the tension which grows throughout the story. I can't wait for the next book!

Life As We Knew It , by Susan Beth Pfeffer (I)

One day Miranda is worried about the usual end-of-year struggles -- the next, the moon has been pushed closer to the earth by an asteroid, and the world is thrown into chaos as nature rebounds.
DWI: survival
RT: Favorite because of the eerie feel to the book as the world turns upside down -- Pfeffer puts us right there with Miranda, and I found myself constantly thinking, "What would I do in this situation?" The final book (This World We Live In) in this series comes out this spring -- and it's also very good and keeps you thinking long after the final page.

Girl in the Arena, by Lise Haines (V)

When Lyn's seventh step-father is killed in the arena, Lyn finds herself forced to either take his place or marry the man who killed him.
DWI: courage; finding a way through a difficult situation
RT: This is a fascinating look at a world which is part history and part dystopic -- and I liked the little details which made it seem so real (and so surreal).

Neptune's Children , by Bonnie Dobkin (V, mild S)

An interesting idea of a biological attack gone awry and killing only adults -- leaving children behind to survive on their own.
DWI: survival; how to be a good leader
RT: I thought this was interesting, though the pacing threw me off here and there -- if you have older elementary kids who might like a survival story, this would be a good choice, as long as you're okay with the violence (kids versus kids).

The Adoration of Jenna Fox , by Mary E. Pearson (I, mild L, mild S)