Eighteen-year-old, dark-skinned, petty thief Zara Cole inadvertently steals from a major crime boss not known for forgiveness, but, luckily, fate steps in, and she is chosen to be an Honor in the interspecies exchange program between humans and Leviathans. These sentient creature-ships host humans for a year-long space tour with the option of extending indefinitely. Mystery shrouds this program, and as inquisitive Zara, co-Honor Beatriz (a Rio-born musician), and the Leviathan Nadim travel together, its dark side is revealed. Caine and Aguirre create a fresh and fascinating story of interspecies bonding, the power of music, and the effects of trauma on good creatures. A few culturally specific references seem forced, but the bond between the humans and alien is delicately built and inspiring. Nadim (the ship) and Zara share first-person narrative duties, and this is primarily Zara's story with a few intercut chapters from Nadim's perspective. Pair this with Philip Reeve's Railhead (2016), or for a real throwback, bring out Anne McCaffrey's Brain and Brawn Ship series.

Zara Cole is on the run. A distant-future mobster named Torian Deluca is out to find her after she accidentally/on purpose robbed his daughter. A master thief who has lived for years in the Lower Eight of New Detroit, Zara realizes that if Deluca catches up to her, he might kill her. Faking a violent fit, Zara gets herself checked into a youth-detention facility to stay out of his reach. While she's incarcerated, the story takes a very wide turn when Zara is mysteriously selected to join the Honors space program, a scientific and cultural exchange program between the extraterrestrial Leviathan and humans. Now aboard a Leviathan living ship named Nadim, Zara finds herself communicating with it. She also begins to suspect that there is something sinister about the entire Honors program. Zara's snarky first-person account of her troubled childhood and overnight transition to astronaut keeps the story interesting at times. However, the story is undermined by the perpetuation of common racial and ethnic stereotypes in this futuristic world. Zara, the young, black female protagonist from New Detroit, is a criminal. Deluca is a stereotypical Italian bad guy, and a Chinese Honor participant is described as having "a degree in something complicated." The sentient ships that display emotion fall short in execution and don't give the plot the range it needs.An ambitious premise that is amiable but not believable. (Science fiction. 14-adult)

Gr 8 Up-In the year 2042, Earth was on the brink of a global crisis when the sentient spaceships known as the Leviathan appeared. In exchange for their help, 100 human Honors are chosen each year to travel with the Leviathan, with the option to continue on to the mysterious lifelong mission known as the Journey. One hundred years later, and to her surprise, loner Zara Cole is chosen to be one of these elite humans, pairing with one of the Leviathan, Nadim, along with her human crewmate, Beatriz. Together they discover that what they thought they knew about the universe is dangerously wrong. Science fiction fans will find comfort in the many familiar story beats herehints of popular predecessors, such as The 5th Wave and Farscape abound. What could be construed as clichéd by making protagonist Zara a streetwise thief is thankfully saved by adding relatable layers to her character. As she opens up about her past, readers learn about her fear of confinement, resourcefulness, and bravery, among other traits. Her relationship with Nadim could be interpreted as a deep bond or read into as a possible alien romance. The diverse cast of supporting characters help to add depth. Beatriz is Portuguese, others come from all over the world, and it's hinted at that Zara is biracial. A revelatory ending will entice teens for the sequel. VERDICT While the story doesn't feel particularly distinctive, it's sure to find a broad fan base among sci-fi readers. Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Akron-Summit County Public Library