Leeta Simtar, a Brid—or interspecies hybrid—wrestles with her dual heritage: 29% Furean and 71% Gemian. Unlike the Reals—pure-blooded Fureans who embody control and conformity—Leeta is emotional, expressive, and impulsive—flaws that are antithetical to a culture that values logic above all else. After an incident in a cave where Leeta kicks Fendro, a male Brid, when he tries to touch her treasured creations (materialism is also unFurean), the Daht—ruler of Fure—sends her on an eight-day expedition to Ganymede with her friend Zertee, an experience that Leeta considers less a punishment and more an opportunity to get away from her home planet, "where she has no home." Fox (author of The Little Things That Kill) incisively examines how fear fuels prejudice and how the pressure to change is placed not on society, but on those marginalized to conform. Leeta, conditioned to believe she is inherently flawed, begins to challenge this lie as she defies the strict orders regarding her expedition and uncovers the truth about her heritage—perhaps the “singular truth of [her] life.” Leeta's exposure to a different world charms readers with its frank look at her ignorance—and equally unsettles, as she faces hostility and finds unexpected allies who teach her to trust, name her emotions, and reclaim her worth. A study between conformity and individuality, this compelling novel is rich with otherworldly landscapes that feel alien yet eerily familiar, with towering domes, color-coded uniforms, galactic wonders, and ritualized public ceremonies. Fox knows how and when to surprise, and her warm and empathic way of writing Leeta's relatable arc through internal monologues feels personal yet universally urgent, examining her real-world struggles of marginalization, racism, and rigid hierarchies that enforce systemic exclusion. In a universe governed by controlled narratives and cultural erasure, Fox delivers an empowering reminder to embrace individuality and dare to fight for change. Takeaway: Poignant, coming-of-age sci-fi tackling marginalization and racism. Comparable Titles: Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer, Zetta Elliott’s Mother of the Sea.

A young woman finds herself between two worlds in Fox’s YA SF coming-of-age story. Leeta Simtar, who’s well above 6 feet tall, is like many other teenage girls in that she yearns for greater freedom than her life on the planet Fure will allow—a feeling that’s only underscored by her status as a “Brid,” or interspecies hybrid. This is a world anchored by rote order, as its motto (“One mind. One goal. One family”) suggests, and Leeta’s impetuous brashness proves to be a naturally poor fit. Inevitably, Leeta is sent for a sit-down with Fure’s stern, omnipresent overlord, the Daht, but not for punishment. Leeta and her friend, Zertee, are being sent to Ganymede on a field expedition to survey its biological life, under strict supervision, as the Daht reminds them (“I will be tracking your APEDs [All-Purpose Electronic Devices]at all times”)—although later, they go to Earth without authorization. A mystery gift from the Daht dramatically upends Leeta’s life by helping to unlock crucial secrets about her past, and she feels compelled to break from the mission to explore them further. It places her on a collision course with UFO conspiracist Rick Rodriguez, whose paranoid actions may yield essential clues. Putting the pieces together will also require the cooperation of Richard Rutherford, who’s still reeling from his son’s unsolved disappearance, which occurred 18 years before Leeta’s arrival. Over the course of Fox’s novel, the way in which the adventurous young Leeta sets about her task will naturally thrill any reader who’s ever had to deal with Daht-style moralism from people in their orbit; some of these dictates are sure to be uncomfortably familiar to any young rebel, such as “You must try harder to be one with us.” Boldly presented in a third-person, present-tense narrative style from Leeta’s perspective, Fox’s novel tells a richly told story of going rogue, on a grand scale, for the greater good—even as she’s pushed to her breaking point. A rousing tale about a young woman coming to terms with an unresolved past.