The Martian by Andy Weir

 

Goodreads synopsis: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

My rating: 5 stars.

Content warnings: R. Frequent cursing, and some sexual comments.

Thoughts: This was another reread, but I really do love this story. Watney's narrative voice is so strong and so hopeful that it's hard to come away from this story and not feel encouraged and excited to take on life's challenges and find the humor in everything. It's a strong story with a lovely message, and if foul language doesn't bother you, I'd highly recommend it.

Operation Grendel by Daniel Schwabauer

 

Goodreads synopsis: It’s the war story he’s dreamed of. But the battle may cost him his mind.

Military journalist Raymin Dahl thinks he’s finally getting the story of a lifetime. Secret peace talks on a remote tropical moon are about to surrender five colonized worlds—and six hundred million civilians—to a ruthless enemy.

But when his commanding officer, Captain Ansell Sterling, is fatally wounded before the negotiations can begin, Dahl can no longer just report on the mission. He’s ordered to complete it. With help from the AI embedded in Sterling’s comms bracelet, Dahl must impersonate his commander—a Marine Corps hero and psychological operations expert.

However, Sterling’s AI may be luring him to surrender more than he realizes. And the mission Corporal Dahl thinks he’s running isn't the only operation underway.

My rating: 3 stars.

Content warnings: PG-13. Some sci-fi violence.

Thoughts: I think I read this book a little too fast and missed a couple things that would have made it easier to follow, but I did really enjoy it. Especially near the end, thematically I really appreciated something it was saying, and it's no surprise since I mostly agree with this author's perspective on things. The ending was mindblowing, and something I'm still churning over for myself, but it was worth reading and a lot of fun.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Goodreads synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.

My rating: 4 stars.

Content warnings: R. Excessive language, some violence and sexual content.

Thoughts: Well written, evocative, and definitely worth the read.