Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Goodreads has been blogging about the “buzziest” YA reads so far this year. Their list includes new works by authors who should be familiar (e.g., Angie Thomas, Jennifer Donnelly) and has some titles which we have reviewed previously like Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and Internment by Samira Ahmed.

Another title on the list is AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, co-authors of the Illuminae Files series. This futuristic space adventure chronicles the team building of Aurora Legion Squad 312, comprised of an Alpha leader named Tyler, his twin sister and diplomacy-trained Scarlett, an ace fighter pilot called Cat, a gearhead named Finian, an Syldrathian fighter called Kal and a scientist geek named Zila. This group of misfits is given a seemingly routine mission, but soon learn they have a stowaway on board: Auri who was “suspended” in the Fold (space) for 200 years. Auri and the others share the narration – and what a set of dramatic exploits they have! Filled with flirtatious banter and reminiscent in part of Star Wars and other space operas, this tale traverses the galaxy while also building strong bonds within the squad. AURORA RISING is the first in a series with a bit of everything: romance, mystery and rebellion, plus starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus and VOYA.

If you are still looking for more great young adult novels once you finish this exciting sci-fi work, here’s Goodreads take on more of the most anticipated YA books to be published later this year.

How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates

HOW WE BECAME WICKED by Alexander Yates is exciting and suspense-filled. Set in the future, this dystopian science-fiction story is told primarily through the eyes of three teens: Astrid and Hank who live in Goldsport and Natalie who lives on Puffin Island. Their surroundings have been totally transformed by the spread of a plague called Wickedness – human victims become infected through the sting of mosquito like singers or by touching another infected human. A very few people, like Astrid and Natalie, are “vexed” or immune to the disease. Those who are still “true,” including Hank and the residents of Goldsport, must live in self-contained communities and take precautions such as wearing special suits if they venture out.  Of course, a substantial part of this novel is devoted to world building and character development, but that adds to its richness and to some very surprising twists. Be aware that there are a few horrific scenes and strong emotions in this novel. Along the way, though, readers will be asking themselves about the nature of right and wrong and who truly is wicked (e.g., the imprisoned grandfather or his family/captors?) and why. 

HOW WE BECAME WICKED received starred reviews from Booklist and Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and it could be an engaging independent read for students taking our Good and Evil English elective. This novel will be particularly enjoyable for any readers who like science fiction and survival stories – once started, it is hard to put down.  

Added: If this all sounds a little too far-fetched, see "The Mosquitoes Are Coming for Us" which coincidentally just appeared in The New York Times.  

New YA Books by Jeff Giles and Todd Strasser

THE BRINK OF DARKNESS by Jeff Giles is the sequel to his The Edge of Everything; enough backstory is provided to read this new novel on its own, but readers will enjoy both and benefit from the more complete story. There is a compelling blend of dystopia, fantasy, romance, humor, and adventure with a strong female protagonist, Zoe Bissell.  Themes of friendship and loyalty plus good and evil combine with often violent action to make for an exciting tale – I finished it in about a day. The main story focuses on Montana high school student Zoe who loves X. He is a mortal/bounty hunter with certain special powers who was born in The Lowlands, a hellish place where some truly evil people are kept as punishment. Zoe and various other quirky characters (e.g., Ripper, The Ukraine, Regent) are trying to help X escape. Pick up THE BRINK OF DARKNESS for an entertaining read and watch for a likely movie! 

PRICE OF DUTY by Todd Strasser is a blatant anti-war young adult novel which I am not really recommending, despite its attempt to address important issues. The story centers on Jake Liddell, a hero to all but himself. This book presents negative views towards the military, particularly the recruitment process and JROTC. Strasser unfortunately reinforces stereotypes, saying, “for a lot of minorities, the military is one of three options. The other two being an unlivable minimum wage, or crime and incarceration.” And sadly, his writing does not portray women and girls as soldiers or even as independent partners at home. Although suspenseful and relatively short (under 200 pages), flashbacks and chapter titles (using character names who are not the narrators and locations which are not explained) made this book a bit confusing to read. 

Referring to Jake’s “crisis of conscience,” Booklist gave PRICE OF DUTY a starred review and suggested it for readers in grades 7-10, but due to this novel’s rather graphic and painful presentation of military suicide, that grade recommendation may actually be rather young. Conversely, there are certainly other, more sophisticated books (M*A*S*H, Catch-22, Yellow Birds) for our older readers. And for those who want to learn more about suicide prevention, including amongst veterans, Journalists’ Resource has links to recent studies on possible intervention. There are multiple ways to help, including this campaign promoted by the late Jason Fitch and featured on CBSNews.