Status Updates From Selected: A Young Adult Sci...

I can't figure out what the point is of anything in this book. It feels like someone came up with a plan involving aliens and just wrote some random scenes. A real lack of flow.
Plus one of largest pet peeves of all keeps happening... convenience. It's just so convenient that she can do blah. Or it's so convenient that so and so's rooms are nearby. Give me a break! How dumb does this author think readers are?

Of course the oldest 'leaders' are the special ones... *rolls eyes* I always prefer when it's the unremarkable kid.

This main character is a total case. One minute she wishes for solitude and the moment she gets it is wishing for people and vice versa.
It almost feels like two different people wrote this book. One wrote the action sequences that i have enjoyed and a different person wrote all the in-between crap with feelings and thoughts that make no sense and feel disconnected from the actions the characters have.

Just as I was starting to feel a groove in this book a totally ridiculous action slaps me out of my curiosity for the odd situation and reminds me that people do not seem to react like I expect them too. Alien or human.
Very annoying and unfortunate as I was just getting into it...

Well this just jumps right into things which is great.
However I do not agree that any sixteen year old would handle being carted away by aliens so calmly...

Well this just jumps right into things which is great.
However I do not agree that any sixteen year old would handle being carted away by aliens so calmly...

Reminiscent of The Fifth Wave.

“Earth’s troposphere is seventy-eight percent nitrogen, twenty-one percent oxygen, and one percent argon,” Jim informed her. “We do not have argon in our world, but sarian. That is what we had to condition your lungs to breathe.” It makes sense at least!

The latest Joffrey attack was pretty sick. Not sure why they even care when they have their own planet now?! I liked how it won Matt brownie points though I'm not sure what they like about 14 yo Kara nor really what she likes about them other than they are hot and like her! I'm leaning toward Jim honestly because they seem to have a more reasoned connection...

So sad Terath did that over a necklace!

I don't believe this feint at all that Narobe is the guilty party, more likely to be misguided Matt than anyone.

The Matt Lorobo mess is getting a little tiring as is the constant health issues Kara has been going through, the latest one an actual murder attempt. I don't find the plot boring at least and it was nice to hear how stealing the children is actually helping the other planet.

No 14 yo talks or thinks like this! "With the new segmentation of her team, Kara questioned whether they would be able to help the floundering team. She was ready to raise a white flag and surrender. In the long run, would her team make things worse for the other group of children; and what consequences were associated with a team unable to promote out of Level One?"

So she meets the Joffray leader on the ship with Narobe. She acquits herself well and the woman agrees to let them go but in future will stop the theft of other earth children. She meets with the Larobo leader to put forth her idea that their old team come together to train other struggling teams. Jim admits her and him have been paired. I liked that he asked her what her feelings were toward Matt!

Not sure why Kara is getting special treatment about the leveling... Brent was rewarded for attacking Matt and Matt only escaped punishment because he didn't instigate it. Special melty filters is a cool idea... the party where she learned the Lorabo family are the ones who decide the harsh treatment was an interesting segue. Now a sudden attack!! What?!?

The level 4 test was cool if a little boring because it was hard to envision the environment. The outcome was unexpected and totally expected, I liked that! The surface visit was cool as well as Brent appearing! The team has officially broken up now though - that's sad. Strong plotting, weak writing is still very consistent but some of the more annoying details are smoothing out!

So, of course Kara and Matt are from opposing families yet despite getting to opt out they return to their teams. Krone was not happy about that... Matt already seems indoctrinated against her family and now you understand his hatred of Jim. The next task with the electrified ceiling and zero great looks like it will be as cool as the Kress game (hopefully no one breaks their neck again!)

Capatain Krone was cool - "You are a member of my family" paired with a stark bit of brutality (good job author!) Kara was the instigator telling Jim about Paola!! Like I've been saying good plot even if the writing is really rough...

For all its faults it's easy to read, the plot is fun and you like the characters. The sacrifice test was cool if obvious, not surprised their team is the only winners. So cute how Nancy is over the moon when Matt gives her the nickname Short Stuff!

Okay here is the special treatment and Kara is not really reacting appropriately- I would not let some alien stalker just kiss me and it's not fair she got her necklace and the rest of the team got nothing! And it was going to be a "perfect moment?" Ugh. The motion sickness is a good idea, so clumsily executed!

Hair color changes - so cool... "Kara also had Jim, who continued to take a personal interest in her." How does she know this? From the reader perspective nothing has been hinted at or shown us as different behavior from anyone else... I hate when we are told something and expected to believe it!

"Her knees gave out just before she reached the door, the team instinctively following her in a failed attempt to escape the gas. Just before she passed out, Kara thought, ‘Choking on this purple crap is getting old’." Can't have this passive voice then have the character think the word crap.

I liked the language barrier solution and the first test. Not sure why Matt is so rabid about Special K and not sure why she'd like that name. Also is Matt sure he'll not be punished going to the wrong armband group? Why did they stay in a group?

Very amateurish writing, questions posed instead of thoughts developed. Odd that the guy was crying too when he was trying to get picked? If there is deeper meaning here it's hard to register because the writing is so shallow. The ideas are strong, I liked that they are redeeming descendents of exiles they sent to other tech-less planets...

This is terribly funny though: "A world without having to eat vegetables was nirvana. Kara had never seen a salad bar to rival what was before her. She would never feel guilty about not eating peas or broccoli if she ate a daily salad." Its all vegetables girlfriend...salad & peas!!

The writing is stilted with a mixture of adult language and extreme simplicity but the world building is intriguing and I'm interested to see where this is going. I liked that the ion baths & decontamination hurt (cause that's realistic).