Beyond the Red

March 7, 2016
Set on an unforgiving desert planet, Jae's debut starts from a familiar premiseâas a "half-blood," Eros is both distrusted by humans and considered an abomination by the ruling Sepharon species. Meanwhile, the Sepharon queen, Kora, struggles to rule a territory where many would prefer her brother take the throne. When Eros becomes Kora's personal slave and bodyguard, a forbidden attraction develops between themâan attraction that's hard to believe, considering that Kora is responsible for the death of Eros's family. Despite the clichéd setup, Jae's smooth worldbuilding and solid pacing make this a highly readable SF romance. Furthermore, Kora and Eros, though opposites in background, share a fierce loyalty to their respective peoples and to each other. As the court intrigue ramps up and the stakes get higher, Jae engages with the brutality of her setting and doesn't spare the central characters, who suffer terrible losses. Many mysteries remain unresolved by the ending, and the future of the Kora's and Eros's romance is unclear as Jae sets up a potential sequel. Ages 14âup. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency.

January 15, 2016
Forbidden love blooms on a planet called Safari between its queen and her half-human slave. When a devastating attack by the Sepharon destroys the nomadic human rebels' camp and kills half-human/half-Sepharon Eros' adoptive parents and brother, he's captured. Despite a standard practice of killing half-bloods, the queen, Kora, has designs to make him her personal servant and secret bodyguard, as her own guards are actually loyal to her jealous younger brother. In fact, Kora's position is downright precarious--she's widely disliked as a ruler because she's a woman. Readers are frequently told that her brother would be a disastrous ruler, but, aside from her kind treatment of Eros, no evidence is given that demonstrates that Kora has any greater aptitude. Instead of allowing readers to see her govern, the narrative, which alternates between her and Eros' first-person accounts, describes the growing physical attraction and emotional connection between the two. Only readers swept up by the chemistry and love story will be able to overlook pacing issues, plot holes, and flat secondary characters with flimsy motivations. While the storyline is marred by obvious, what-you-see-is-what-you-get-type villains with transparent plots, the writing itself is generally competent, although the sprinkling of Sephari words is distracting at times. The humans' colonial past and subsequent enslavement are glossed over, as are many worldbuilding questions. A rushed conclusion sets up the sequel. Deeply flawed. (Science fiction. 13-17)

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March 1, 2016

Gr 6-9-Kora and Eros cannot be more different: one an alien queen who is fighting to keep the throne from her power-hungry brother and the latter a half-breed human who has never belonged anywhere. This work is told in alternating perspectives and is set in the future on Safara, a desert alien planet in Earth's universe. Kora and Eros are thrust together, and the duo are forced to unite after being framed for an assassination attempt on Kora's betrothed, Serek. The three protagonists not only form a compelling love triangle but are also the world's sole hope to prevent a mass genocide. Fierce and beautiful Kora must navigate her way through court politics, revolutions, and secrets while red-blooded Eros finds himself to be much more important than he ever could have imagined. Serek holds everyone together with his calm yet authoritative nature. Jae's debut novel introduces a unique alien world with a thrilling plot full of twists that are bound to appeal to sci-fi fans, particularly admirers of Avatar and Star Wars. The fast-paced and intense plotlines introduce deep concepts including segregation, homosexuality, and racism; however, the concepts and characters are not fully developed. The author builds a beautifully conceived world with unique details, such as language quirks, an alien monarch ruling system, and special meaning for phrases such as "golden eyes." The fun and engaging plot is predictable but enjoyable. VERDICT An engaging and amusing read for fans of sci-fi romance.-Emily Bayci, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Kora is the first female ruler of the Sepharon in generations, but her ambitious twin brother, Dima, wants to rule in her stead. To that end, he is willing to do anything, including framing Kora for an assassination attempt on her fiance, Serek. Meanwhile, Kora has taken as bodyguard and confidant the half blood Eros, whose mixed race makes him a pariah among both the nomadic human rebels of the planet and the city-dwelling alien Sepharon, a tall, strong humanoid race with patterned skin, notched ears, and purple blood. In alternating chapters narrated by Eros and Kora, Jae spins a cinematic tale of forbidden love and Machiavellian politics. With detailed history, architecture, customs, inventions, and landscape, Jae creates a fascinating new world to explore. The breathless pace of the plot, smoldering romance between Kora and Eros, and inventive yet comfortably familiar world will engage science fiction and romance readers alike. A true cliff-hanger ending guarantees a sequel. Blogger and college student Jae has laid the groundwork for an entertaining series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)