One If by Carol B. Allen #bookreview #YA #fantasy #STEM

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews

ONE DYING PLANET. TWO WORLDS AT WAR.

THREE TEENS FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL.

Parker Kittridge, a quirky science student from New York City, is abducted by a spirit guide and taken to Spyridon, a dying planet on the brink of war. Parker quickly discovers she is not alone. Two other teens have also been kidnapped. They must join forces if they have any chance to return to Earth.

Spyridon, ravaged by climate change, is in deep trouble. Only two kingdoms remain: an avian Upperworld and a piscine Underworld. Parker and her friends are charged with finding solutions for the planet’s survival, as well as their own, or the teens will never escape in time. They must discover how to live and collaborate with the extraterrestrial beings.

The on-going war between the worlds is fierce: murders, deceptions, power struggles, and love triangles make this a high-stakes, futuristic, coming-of-age adventure pitted against a race with time.

Before I get into the review, I’d like to comment on this stunning cover.  The designer did an exceptional job, and it works well with the story.

I’ve always been a fan of books that advocate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), especially for girls, and this author is donating a percentage of sales for this book to organizations that promote the advancement of women in STEM and protect the environment.  And that’s something else I admire about this book – it brings environmental issues to the forefront.

Parker is a science nerd, and I loved her for that.  Besides being highly intelligent and taller than most girls, she’s socially awkward and doesn’t make friends easily.  It’s only after being transported to the bizarre and creatively imagined world of Spyridon that she seems to find her place, and her self-confidence and self-esteem increase as a result.  Her courage in agreeing to help the people of this planet with little to no information about what they need or why she was chosen is questionable, but admirable.

While the three teens are likable (well, maybe not mean girl Henley much of the time), they felt generic, and I would have liked to see more character depth.  I missed understanding why they made certain decisions or took the risk to stay on a strange planet with unfamiliar creatures and help them.  Their voices are also similar, making it hard to distinguish between them.

The end moves pretty quickly with plenty of action and a plot twist, and the cliffhander ending sets up the story perfectly for a sequel.  Partly a coming of age story for Parker, the sequel should give her an opportunity to make a difference in the world of Spyridon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

21 thoughts on “One If by Carol B. Allen #bookreview #YA #fantasy #STEM”

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