Olivia A. ColeRezensionen

ARIEL CRASHES A TRAIN by Olivia A. Cole is a tough, tough read, only because I saw way too much of myself in Ariel. Ariel’s struggle with intrusive thoughts, as well as the compulsions she uses to combat them, is one of the first realistic portrayals of OCD I’ve experienced in print. Ariel’s pain brought back all those times when I knew there was something that made me different, that was wrong with me, and was the reason why I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere. That Ariel obtains the help she needs so much earlier in life than most people struggling with OCD is a comfort because it shows that people are finally beginning to realize that it is not cleanliness and everything at right angles. That Ms. Cole chose to write Ariel’s story in verse helped ease the pain of watching this poor girl fall through the cracks and needlessly suffer. While not an easy read, ARIEL CRASHES A TRAIN is a powerful one, made more impactful because of knowing that we both struggle with the same mental health disease.

Gr 10 Up—It's been nearly a year since Alicia was first assaulted by her teacher when a note appears in her locker
hinting that there may be another victim. This is a brutally beautiful survival story that explores moving forward after
horrific tragedy and judgment befalls a young teen.

A moving, fascinating look at the world from the perspective of a young woman with OCD and suffering from intrusive thoughts, as she learns who she really is and connects with others who feel equally different from the people around them. Really engaging and interesting, plus it's a carnival-based coming-of-age story—I think we can all agree that running away to the circus or working summers at a carnival make for some of the most intriguing ways to come of age.

As a caveat, I try to give novels "in verse" an extra benefit of the doubt, because I consider my inability to click with them a failing of mine and not of them—but I really, really find it difficult to click with them. But here we have the absolute exception that proves the rule. Maybe it didn't do some of the things that usually so pull me out of a poetry-based novel (constant actual rhyming, line breaks in the middle of every sentence to keep the meter, etc.), or maybe I was just too engrossed and involved to care! Even if you usually read the words "novel-in-verse" or "lyrically written" and run in the other direction, give this one a chance.

4.25 stars.

I requested this ARC because I loved Olivia A. Cole's Dear Medusa. I didn't remember the description, so it's a testament to how well Cole portrayed OCD that I was able to identify it before Ariel realized it. After reading the acknowledgments, I understand why and appreciate Cole's exploration of the topic.

I loved the portrayal of the crocodile brain. I loved the support Ariel gets from her new friends and her sister and even her boss. I wish Ariel could have gotten more support from her parents, but that's just realistically not the case in many situations. Still sucks, though. I enjoyed the concept of challenging gender and racism and all the mental health topics that connected Ruth and Rex and Ariel. I think the book was a little longer than it needed to be, though I definitely enjoyed the novel-in-verse style. I'd recommend this for people who love stories about mental health that feature queer characters.

Rep: OCD (MC), lesbian (MC), trans (side character)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

It was a hard read, watchiing the protagonist continually make poor choices. It also felt like some of the characters were not fully realized, but a great insight into how people become indoctrinated by white supremacy rhetoric.½

FROM SYNC: Mela Lee’s narration shines as Cole’s realistic young adult story about fitting in at a new school illuminates our nation’s inability to face our history of white privilege. Lee honors the cultural ethnicities of the various characters, helping the savvy listener to recognize the unconscious biases we must face in order to move forward. She gives Shania a timid, young voice as she struggles to find her place in a new school and community. Catherine, the entitled queen bee, seems friendly as she draws Shania into her orbit. Golden boy Prescott’s mercurial moods, hidden by his smooth words, and Michelle’s confidence in her own value come through in Lee’s delivery. Will Shania find a way to accept her past without repeating its errors?

Trade Ed. • Hachette Audio • 2022

DD ISBN 9781549166006 $24.98

I requested Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole for two reasons. One reason is that I have a morbid fascination with stories about survivors of sexual abuse. Mostly, I requested an e-galley because I needed to read something written in verse for one of my year-long reading challenges. While I read one book in verse many years ago, I am not a fan of poetry and actively avoid it. So, I started Ms. Cole's novel in verse with trepidation. Thankfully, I loved every line.

As you might suspect, the subject matter of Dear Medusa is not easy, but I believe telling her story in verse helps ease some of the potential for triggers. The poem form of the novel means that Ms. Cole has to select her focus with care, and in Dear Medusa, she opts for emotion over action. Alicia is suffering, and not just from what was done to her by a beloved teacher a year ago. Her pain is palpable, as is her anger, longing, desperation, confusion, and self-loathing. She has no support network and is so alone that it hurts. Ms. Cole conveys all this in clear, concise lines that don't portray the actions as much as the occurring emotions or thought processes.

There is so much happening to Alicia. She sees herself as a pariah among her peers, tainted by her willingness to have sex and shamefully bearing the burden of being labeled the school slut. Then, there is the apparent trauma she still suffers after the abuse she suffered at the hands of a teacher. Her parents recently divorced, and her relationship with her brother is nowhere near as close as it once was. But the absolute worst thing you have to watch Alicia struggle with is her self-loathing, as seen in her willingness to make herself available to men who do not care about her age but only see her as a piece of meat willing to do whatever they want.

No matter what age you are when you read Dear Medusa, Ms. Cole's verse helps you remember how confusing it was to be a teenager. On the one hand, you are proud of your new, post-pubescent, more womanly body and want others to find you as attractive as you think you are. Yet, you find yourself getting attention from the wrong people or the wrong type of attention. Dear Medusa took me back to places I didn't want to go, remembering situations I don't want to remember and scenarios I experienced that look very different through a perspective lens. Younger readers will see themselves in Alicia, working through their confusion at the mixed messaging society continues to give young people identifying as women.

Dear Medusa is powerful in so many ways. Every page has at least one passage I want to remember, even though I do not typically collect quotes from books I read. The verse is so beautiful in its simplicity. Alicia is full of pain, and Ms. Cole ensures we feel every nuance. Dear Medusa is a novel I am so glad I took a chance to read because it will stay with me for a long time.

Cole has crafted a beautiful world in A Conspiracy of Stars. She took the time to describe life on Faloiv and in N’Terra, which endeared me to the story and the characters. The mystery pushed me to keep reading well into the night and the pay-off is so satisfying. I eagerly await the next book, and I plan to share this powerful story with many others.

I did not read the first book. However the world built in this duology, coupled with plot twists and characters, whether human, animal, plant or otherwise all combine to make this a fascinating and very satisfying story. I hope the author provides us with more books of similar quality in the future.

I enjoyed the pace and got sucked into this book really easily. I had not planned on reading for hours on end and had no idea I had done so until I just happened to glance at my watch. But that's what happened, and I finished this much sooner than I had expected.

As a scientist with a background in biology myself, I must say I find the repeated theme of "evil scientists using genetic engineering to achieve genetically impossible things" to be wearisome. While this book did include that as a plot element, it was incredibly refreshing to see good scientists (as opposed to non-scientists, as is usually the case) working against the evil scientists. Hollywood, please take note.

I enjoyed the pace and got sucked into this book really easily. I had not planned on reading for hours on end and had no idea I had done so until I just happened to glance at my watch. But that's what happened, and I finished this much sooner than I had expected.

As a scientist with a background in biology myself, I must say I find the repeated theme of "evil scientists using genetic engineering to achieve genetically impossible things" to be wearisome. While this book did include that as a plot element, it was incredibly refreshing to see good scientists (as opposed to non-scientists, as is usually the case) working against the evil scientists. Hollywood, please take note.

4.5 stars

This was a beautifully written sequel to “A Conspiracy of Stars”. Originally this was supposed to be a duology, but this book leaves the main conflict wide open. I am hoping we see at least one more book in this series to tie things up.

I absolutely love the planet of Faloiv and all of the interesting beasts and plants there. This setting is amazingly creative and I enjoyed reading about it a ton. I also really loved Octavia and how she interacts with the planet and its natives.

This story helps us learn a lot more about how Faloiv works and a lot more about the humans and how they ended up here. It was intriguing and very fun to read about.

I love Cole’s writing style as well. It flows beautifully and makes this book effortless to read. I was very close to reading the whole book in one sitting...but you know, sleep was needed.

Overall this was an amazing continuation of the Faloiv series. It’s creative, fast-paced, and beautifully written. I really hope this isn’t the last book in the series. I would recommend to those who enjoy science fiction reads about other planets. Especially to those who enjoy reading about alien plant life and animals.

A refreshing work of science-fiction, this is definitely a rather different story than any I've read before. The book description covers it pretty well, and it's definitely one worth reading if it sounds at all interesting to you.

“But home isn’t just a memory, I’ve decided: it’s knowledge, knowing where you belong and where you fit in.”

This was a solid sci-fi story that combined all the things I want to see in my science fiction reads: compelling research, characters I connect with, and an intriguing mystery. A Conspiracy of Stars follows aspiring scientist Octavia, who’s desperate to follow in the steps of her parents and discover the secrets of Faloiv. But Octavia soon realises the planet isn’t the only thing hiding secrets, and the ruling Council of N’Terra might have a few of their own.

Thing I Liked
The cover is absolutely stunning and is on my list for covers of the year. It's honestly what made me want to pick up this book.

I thought it was really cool that all the research was animal-based. Learning how the animals interact with their surroundings and other animals, and using that to make advancements was cool.

I really appreciate that we get a large cast of diverse characters. Octavia, her parents, Alma, Rondo, and Yaya are all black. And I loved that we get to see so many black scientists represented in the story.

Things I Didn’t Like
I needed to know more about Faloiv and the Faloii people. I know a big part of this story is Octavia discovering the Council's secrets herself, but I felt a disconnect to what was happening because I largely had no clue how or why things were happening. I like the world building of the legacy of the compounds and the Council, I just needed more from the other side.

This was such a quick read and I was so invested I didn’t want to put the book down. I’m definitely looking forward to getting some answers in book tw0, and I can’t wait to pick it up.

I received a copy of the book from Katherine Tegen Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I was originally drawn to this book because of the unique cover and then completely drawn in by the synopsis. I really enjoyed this YA science fiction book. The setting is really interesting and creative. I loved the science based society and all the unique animals introduced.

Most of the story involves our heroine unraveling a number of mysteries about the human and alien civilization on this small planet. There is a lot of conspiracy and some adventure. The story was fast-paced, well written, and easy to read..

Overall I ended up enjoying this book a lot. I loved the fast-pace of the story, the mystery, the adventure, the creative setting, and the engaging characters. This was an intriguing and fun YA sci-fi read about a small science-based human civilization on a far away planet.