Above World, by Jenn Reese

I’d been wanting to read Jenn Reese‘s novel Above World [Amazon | B&N | Mysterious Galaxy] for a while now. Having now read and enjoyed it, I’ve come to the inescapable conclusion that this book has the wrong cover art.

It’s not that I think it’s a bad cover. It’s vivid and colorful and clear, and captures the mermaid Kampii nature of the protagonist. The cover also conveys that this is a middle grade novel. So far, so good. But the book is so much more. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic Earth with advanced tech and bioengineering and settlements of humans who have been modified for their environments and robot pets and more. I wish the cover showed more of those elements, because they’re pretty sweet.

Here’s the official summary:

Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is in doubt. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people.

But can Aluna’s warrior spirit and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt—growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains—here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true.

I liked this book a lot. It’s a fun read, with action and adventure and romance and great characters. I liked the relationship between Aluna and Hoku. I liked the backstory and the worldbuilding, and the larger-than-life villain. There’s just a lot going on in this book that made me say, “Oh, cool!”

There were a few elements that felt a bit too plot-convenient, where our characters encounter just the right character at just the right time. But that’s a minor complaint, and didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

This is the first book of a trilogy, and all three books are available, so you don’t have to wait.

You can read an excerpt of Above World at the Candlewick website.