Science in Fiction (#47): Honor Bound by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring Honor Bound by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

I have not read Honor Bound, but I have read its predecessor, Honor Among Thieves. I LOVED Honor Among Thieves, and I'm so excited about its sequel. I mean, who wouldn't want to read about a bada** group of intergalactic fugitives?! There's a lot of space-related fiction out there today, but I want to direct your attention to this series.

Reasons you should read Honor Among Thieves (and Honor Bound!):

- Zara is SUPER cool. She is fierce, determined, and can kick some booty.

- Nadim is a sentient ship - how cool is it to have a ship as a supporting character?!

- This was the first book I read in which the protagonist asked for pronouns. That is neat!

- There is no real romance which can be a sad thing for someone like me, but a great thing for those not into romance!

- Action! Danger! Threats abound! 

Need I say more?

Anyway, I'm not going to relate Honor Bound to current events since I haven't read the book, but I can push this book (and series in general) on everyone! Check out Honor Bound on February 19th!

Swoon Thursday (#314): The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

He pulls me into his arms and presses his lips to mine. This time when we kiss, it is unbounded, turning every inch of me inside out. 

When the kiss is over, I stare into his eyes.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

I absolutely love the second line - referring to the kiss being unbounded. That's a great line!

Science in Fiction (#46): The Wild Lands by Paul Greci

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring The Wild Lands by Paul Greci!

(Click on the cover to go to Goodreads!)

Full disclaimer: I have not read this book. However, I can tell from the summary that there are some hardcore environmental aspects within the story. In this book, Alaska has been cut off from the rest of the world, due to natural disasters. Hence the title - the state has "regressed" to the wild. It's full of wild animals and the destitute survivors looking for a better life. Travis and Jess are two survivors in search of civilization.

This got me thinking about the USA's current political situation, and how it is affecting our national parks. If you weren't aware, the USA government is partially shut down, and has been for almost a month. This partial shutdown affects many sectors of the government, and many federal workers have been without pay for weeks. 

The national parks are heavily affected. The national parks have been very understaffed due to the partial shutdown, and because of this, the national parks are left more unsupervised than usual. Trash isn't taken out of the parks, bathrooms aren't cleaned, security isn't maintained... the national parks could take years to recover.

Want an example? Look at the plight of the Joshua Tree National Park in southern California. Photos have made their way around the internet, showing a cut tree, and illegal campsites. Now, illegal campsites might not seem like a big deal, but national parks have designated camping areas for a reason. And cutting down the Joshua trees? That's definitely a big deal. Vandalism has no place anywhere, and certainly not in a national park. 

Photo from the National Park Service, found on CNN.

Obviously this situation is not as extreme as what is described in The Wild Lands. But it makes you think, right? One large natural disaster could destroy an area forever. One big political decision could do that too. Perhaps my takeaway from this is: support national parks. Appreciate all federal workers and they do. Be kind to nature. 

Science in Fiction (#45): 2019 YA Science Fiction

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

Well, I haven't done one of these posts since September! It's about time I posted about science in fiction. This month, I'm showcasing some 2019 YA science fiction books!

A Soldier and a Liar by Caitlin Lochner

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: February 19, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

In a world on the brink of war, four superpowered teens must learn to work together for peace in Caitlin Lochner's action-packed debut novel, A Soldier and A Liar.

Lai Cathwell is good at keeping secrets. As a Nyte, a supernaturally gifted teenager who is feared and shunned by the ungifted, this skill is essential to survival. Orchestrating her own imprisonment to escape military duty has only honed her ability to deceive others. But when rebels start attacking the city, Lai is dragged back into the fight with a new team of Nytes.

Thrown together with Jay, a self-conscious perfectionist consumed by the desire to be accepted; Al, a short-tempered fighter lying for the sake of revenge; and Erik, an amnesiac hell-bent on finding his memories and his place in the world, Lai realizes she's facing an entirely different kind of challenge--one that might just be impossible. But if this team can't learn to work together, the entire sector will be plunged into war.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Book One of the Aurora Cycle series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm

A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates

A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder

An alien warrior with anger management issues

A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

Book One of The Similars series

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: January 1, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):
When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class.

The Similars are all anyone can talk about at the elite Darkwood Academy. Who are these six clones? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? Who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emma couldn't care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and all she can think about is how to get through her junior year without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi—Oliver's exact DNA replica and one of the Similars.

Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper into their clique, uncovering dark truths about the clones and her prestigious school along the way. But no one can be trusted…not even the boy she is falling for who has Oliver's face. 

Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell

Book One of the System Divine series

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: May 26, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

A thief. An officer. A guardian. 

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .

When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.

Honor Bound by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Book Two of the Honors series

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication Date: February 19, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

Savvy criminal turned skilled Leviathan pilot Zara Cole finds new friends and clashes with bitter enemies in the second book of this action-packed series from New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre that’s perfect for fans of The 100 and The Fifth Wave.

Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives.

Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But they’ll have to settle for the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. The secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction.

Soon Zara will have to make a choice: run from the ultimate evil—or stand and fight.

Tell me about some of the science fiction books you're looking forward to reading in 2019 - Young Adult, adult, or otherwise!

Release Day Blitz and Giveaway: Toxic by Lydia Kang

Hello bibliovores! I'm so excited to be sharing information about Lydia Kang's latest novel, Toxic. This is a YA sci-fi novel that is bound to be a page-turner. Read on and enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Toxic by Lydia Kang

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: November 6, 2018

Official Summary:

Cyclo, the first and largest biological ship of its kind, is dying. A small crew of mercenaries have handed over the rights to their life to document the death of the ship, but the abandoned ship is anything but abandoned—one girl has been left behind.

Hana has known nothing but the isolation of a single room and the secret that has kept her there for seventeen years. When she meets Fennec, the boy assigned to watch her, she realizes that there is a world she has yet to experience but she is doomed to never meet.

When crew members begin mysteriously dying, Hana and Fenn realize that they are racing against the death of the ship to find a way to survive—unless someone kills them even before Hana’s truly had a chance to live.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

About the Author:

Lydia Kang is an author of young adult fiction, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. She graduated from Columbia University and New York University School of Medicine, completing her residency and chief residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She is a practicing physician who has gained a reputation for helping fellow writers achieve medical accuracy in fiction. Her poetry and non-fiction have been published in JAMA, The Annals of Internal Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Great Weather for Media. She believes in science and knocking on wood, and currently lives in Omaha with her husband and three children.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

My heart is beating so fast I can barely stay standing. I have clawed my robe until it has holes in the edges.

It has been six hours now. I am absolutely forbidden to leave my room, a room that does not exist in the consciousness of any crew member except my mother, hidden as it is in the most unused part of Cyclo’s body, the northeast quadrant, alpha ring.

For the last two hours, I’ve raised my hand countless times, poised a few inches from the door, before dropping it. Even touching the door is strictly forbidden. But I can’t wait here for much longer. Where is Mother? Where could she be? I’d even read the last entry in her diary, looking to see if anything was off, but there was nothing but our last discussion on why hedgehogs are not related to sea urchins. My eyes are full of tears, and I’ve already cried several times out of sheer panic.

I keep my voice steady and say, “Cyclo. Please open the door.”

Cyclo, not bothering to speak because the message is too urgent, blanches with white that moves in waves over the door.

Forbidden.

“Cyclo. Please open the door,” I say again, this time my voice cracking. I’ll only just peep my head outside, just a little look. I won’t step a foot out there. I know people will be walking the hallways. But if no one is there…maybe I can make my way to her lab and see why she’s delayed. I know exactly where it is. I’ve spent much of my life studying Cyclo’s every detail—the story of her birth, the way she harvests starlight energy, the layout of the ship down to every single storage vacuole and crew member unit.

The Giveaway:

A signed copy of Toxic plus a swag bag, including enamel pin, signed print of a hand painted TOXIC artwork, bookmarks, and signed book plates. Open in US only (a $20 Amazon e-gift card will be substituted for an international winner)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Science in Fiction (#44): Afterimage by Naomi Hughes & Echoes by Alice Reeds

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring several upcoming/new YA science fiction books!

  

I have not read either of these, but both sound excellent. Afterimage is about a girl who is the sole survivor in her city, after multiple explosions level the city. What happens when the only person you can turn to is a transparent boy - who could be her imagination, or a ghost? There is some space/time continuum science to this book, so you can expect some Doctor-Who-like vibes in this book.  

Echoes is a story of two teenagers who wake up on a deserted island together. They have no concept of how they got there, or where they are. They were both selected to intern with a company based in Germany, and they were on the private jet going to Germany when the plane crashed. This is a survival story with a science fiction foundation within the big twist of the story. I've not read this one so I don't know much about the science-y aspect, but it sounds like it is very cool!

I'm giving away a copy of Afterimage - you can check out that giveaway HERE!

This year has been somewhat scant on science fiction novels, it seems! I have not read either of these two so I can't speak on the science within the stories. But I wanted to highlight these stories anyway because they are marketed as good YA science fiction novels, and YA lit always needs more of those. I will be checking out Echoes for sure, because it is also supposed to have an excellent romance!

Science in Fiction (#42): Legacy by Jessica Blank

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring Legacy by Jessica Blank!

I haven't read Legacy, but I came across it on Goodreads and wasn't going to give it a second glance. But something told me to read the synopsis, despite the meh cover. I'm glad I did. This is the first YA novel that I've seen dealing directly with environmentalism - specifically, joining an environmentalist group, and most likely protesting. I've not read the book so I don't know the specifics, but I will certainly try to read it now that I know it deals heavily with environmentalism.

Today, I'm going to give brief updates on what's going on in the environmental world!

Here are some of the news:

- June 27th, 2018: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retires. It might seem like this isn't directly related to the environment. However, Kennedy has voted liberally in many recent environmental cases, such as Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, which dealt with regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. With the justice retiring, the president could appoint a much more conservative justice who will not favor environmental regulations.

- July 5th, 2018: U.S. EPA chief Scott Pruitt resigns. There has been a lot of scandal and controversy surrounding Pruitt, and he finally resigned, citing that the attacks were taking a toll on him and his family. Pruitt has done much harm to environmental regulations so I'm not sad to see him go.

- July 1st, 2018: the Canadian government is backing a pipeline expansion project that will have extreme negative effects on the environment, and would run through native lands. The Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline would go through the lands of the First Nations people like the Inuit and Métis, and there has been no consensus among the First Nations as to wanting the pipeline expansion or not. But the pipeline expansion itself has major issues. The pipeline would transfer tar sands, which contains bitumen, which would be refined to make gasoline. But this process of making gasoline about 15% more carbon dioxide than the process of generating conventional oil.

- June 28th, 2018. The U.S. Senate passed the Farm Bill. This is a slightly different version of the Farm Bill that passed in the House. The House's version included amendments that would open Alaska's national forests to drilling/mining/logging; undermine the Endangered Species Act; phase out the Conservation Stewardship Program. The Conservation Stewardship Program is important because it gives farmers incentives to address water quality, soil health, etc. The Senate's version of the Farm Bill does not include the aforementioned provisions, which is good. The Farm Bill in general has some issues, but it's good that many of the anti-environmental amendments of the House's version of the bill did not make it onto the Senate's version.

- June 20th, 2018: In Indonesia, a proposed gold mine could have disastrous impacts on the environment. The proposed mine is over 90 square miles in area, and would be located almost entirely in Cenderawasih Bay National Park, and borders the Wondiwoi Mountains Nature Reserve. Both the Park and the Reserve are protected areas. The proposed mine is also bordering lands of three indigenous groups. Mining, no matter what is being mined, always leads to pollution, like groundwater contamination. There is no avoiding serious environmental impacts. 

I tried really hard to find some good environmental news! I'm sure there are small victories out there, I just couldn't find any. We need more people fighting the good fight, for the environment. I hope Legacy gets more exposure in the YA world because it sounds like an important book. I'm sad that I hadn't heard of it until its publication week, but it's never too late to look into the book. And of course, it's never too late to support the environment! 

Science in Fiction (#41): Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein!

I haven't read Chemistry Lessons, but I've seen it around. It is a new release from HMH Teen, and it deals with a high school student who is an intern at MIT and will be going to college soon. Maya's mother was a scientist; by chance, Maya discovers that her mother was researching pheromones, and how to increase human attraction. 

Today I'm going to talk about pheromones! What a fun topic, right?

Dictionary.com defines pheromones as "any chemical substance released by an animal that serves to influence the physiology or behavior of other members of the same species." There have been little evidence to support the existence of pheromones in humans (boooo!), but pheromones are quite common in animals and plants. Pheromones can be used for things like pest control. 

In an article published by Phys.org on June 7th, 2018, it was detailed how sex pheromones would be used as a form of pest control. Scientists have isolated a specific type of sex pheromone that will attract pesticides, thus protecting the plants. This will hopefully prevent crop loss, something that the world has been experiencing more and more of, especially with rising immunity to pest control.

Another use of pheromones that will be implemented in the future is to control the lamprey population in the Great Lakes. Lamprey are an invasive species in the Great Lakes, and the population is out of control. They are super ugly and dangerous. Scientists have been researching sex pheromones that would lure the lamprey into traps. 

Lamprey are native to the Atlantic Ocean and are highly invasive in the Great Lakes. They have suction cup-like mouth that latches onto their prey. They have no natural predators and so their population is free to grow at will. Pheromones is definitely one way to reduce the population. Check out more on MPR News.

 Lamprey. Source: Wikipedia

In Australia, researchers are using pheromones to lure and trap a specific swarm of bees that are thought to carry varroa mite, a virus deadly to bees. The bees that are caught by the pheromone traps are studied to learn more about the virus.


Bottom line: it would be cool if humans have pheromones, but it's really cool how pheromones are used in a science-y way. Whether it's to control a population of invasive species, or to increase crop yield, the use of pheromones can be beneficial to humans and natural ecosystems. Do you agree?

Waiting on Wednesday (#283): Wildcard by Marie Lu

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Wildcard by Marie Lu

Book Two of the Warcross series
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 18, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Okay confession time! I have not read Warcross yet. I started to read it last year but when I saw so many people moaning about the ending, I decided to wait until book two was published. So by default, I'm very excited about Wildcard!

Science in Fiction (#40): Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris!

Unbreakable review | Unraveling review

I read Unraveling years ago, but only very recently read Unbreakable. It's the sequel and conclusion to this science fiction duology, an "older" one in YA. This series is filled with action, tension, and high stakes. I loved the pacing of this novel, and coupled with an intense plot, the story was unbeatable. It's a story dealing with parallel universes and exceptional abilities (in one character's case, anyway). 

So today, I'm going to talk about parallel universes!

I may have talked about this before. It's a strange topic in science because it's not proven - so it's not really science. But just because something isn't known doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I can't provide any facts for you today, but I think it would be interesting to consider the possibility of parallel universes.

I recently read an article, published on May 9th, 2018, about parallel universes. The article, which can be read on Space.com, breaks down five different types of multiverses, which I thought was neat.

1. Infinite universes: space-time is flat and infinite, and many universes exist.

2. Bubble universes: each universe is in a bubble, and it grows within its own bubble. This means that other universes could have completely different laws of physics, which is really, really cool.

3. Daughter universes: think of it this way: for every outcome that a decision could have (at least two outcomes), there is a universe. This is similar to the idea brought about in Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke. That was an excellent book, by the way!

4. Mathematical universes: basically, structural mathematics could vary depending on the universe, and things could be very different without human understanding. This one is kind of vague and doesn't really make sense to me, but I'm sure scientists know what they're talking about.

5. Parallel universes: space-time is flat, the number of particle configurations is limited, and particles repeat themselves in terms of arrangements. This lends itself to the idea that there are many parallel universes, many universes just like ours but slightly different in some way.

Personally, I like the idea of the daughter universes. It is the whole premise behind Dissonance, one of my favorite YA science fiction books. What you could travel to a universe where you could see how things turned out if you made a different decision? That would be neat. And scary too. The parallel universe theory doesn't have a lot of support or science behind it, but it is something cool to think about. For now, we can enjoy the science fiction created from it!

- The Chronicles of Narnia

- Men Like Gods

- "Back to the Future"

- His Dark Materials

- "Stranger Things"

- Dissonance 

Swoon Thursday (#276): Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne!

His lips were chapped, rough, but I didn't care. I was far more focused on my own unmitigated panic. I'd never been kissed, not properly, and the last time I'd tried to kiss someone - George - I'd performed abysmally. I knew one thing. If I didn't kiss him back, Hugo would stop, and I did not want that to happen. My entire body was celebrating, every inch of me on fire, beating wildly, shouting with joy. I raised myself up on my tiptoes and returned pressure in kind, parting my lips just so, like I'd seen a many a movie night. And - oh! Hugo pulled me in closer, strong hand at the small of my back, and introduced his tongue into the mix. 

- ARC, page 260

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Gotta love a first kiss! Well, Stella's first kiss. This romance is adorable!

May the Fourth Be With You!

Happy May the Fourth! Well, it's now May 6th, but this past Friday was May the Fourth (i.e. Star Wars Day), and two days off is close enough. Right? Right.

I love Star Wars (if you couldn't tell), and so today I'm sharing some of my favorite science fiction books that I'd recommend, if you like Star Wars. Off we go!

    

I love this series! I still need to read United, but Alienated and Invaded are such great books. Aliens, planets, intergalactic drama - definitely good for Star Wars fans!

  

Starflight is so Star-Wars-y, it's awesome. Not in a cut/paste way, but in a way that makes you want to reread the book and do a Star Wars marathon. Starflight is one of my favorite books of all time!

  

Who doesn't love a story about a good thief, set on a ship in space? Jeth reminded me of Han Solo. The Avalon duology is one of my favorites and no, not just because of the amazing covers!

    

Everyone has heard of this series, right? It's one of the best YA sci-fi series out there. Lots of space-y action, robots, incredibly advanced technology, and high stakes. Plus, it's written in meta-fiction form. I'm excited to see what else these authors come up with, in the YA sci-fi world!

I actually didn't totally love Heart of Iron (I thought it was a bit boring), but the concept was really cool and definitely had Star Wars vibes. There is a droid protagonist, which was neat!

This co-written novel is very unique and creative! There is plenty of space travel and aliens in this book. The ship is a super important character in the book - yep, you read that correctly!

I actually haven't read this book, but I've heard great things about it, and I have a copy. Anything Leia-related is awesome. Carrie Fisher, we miss you!

What are some of your favorite Star-Wars-y books (YA or otherwise)? Have you read any of the ones that I've listed? What are other science fiction books that you might recommend to me?