Gr 9 Up-Alyssa Farshot, blue of skin, brown of eye, is a pilot and adventurer extraordinaire who, along with her dishy human engineer, Hell Monkey, he of sexy hazel eyes, explores the universe in her worldcruiser the Vagabond Quick. She is also the niece of the Emperor of the United Sovereign Empire, a conglomeration of humans and humanoids, like the foarians whose silvery horns and huge eyes exude empathy, and the hallüdrae like Alyssa and the emperor, with jewel-toned skin and eyes. Alyssa thought she had escaped royal duty and politics but upon his deathbed her uncle declares a crownchase to determine the next ruler and Alyssa must take part. This is no tame race; murder of a chaser is forbidden but pretty much anything else goes. And it is clear from the start that not everyone will play nice. Alyssa and Hell Monkey hurtle across the universe chasing from one dangerous clue to another while grappling with ambitious and deadly chasers, with non-stop snark and clever repartee that will keep readers laughing and gasping at the same time. It wraps up with a sequel-launching cliffhanger. VERDICT Recommend this space opera hit to fans of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's Aurora Rising and Brandon Sanderson's Skyward .Gretchen Crowley, formerly at Alexandria City P.L., VA