July Wrap-up

Greetings Everyone:

First off, thanks to you all for rolling with the punches and being amenable to moving the date of our meeting forward a week to accommodate a moderator's move the next day. It was a better meeting because of it.

Onto the book. Though it was clearly written for a younger audience, which led to a lack of explanation in some areas and a bit of a teenage romance angle, ultimately the novel didn't talk down to its audience and provided adequate world-building and character development. Tim and Beth both enjoyed the characters and how well they were written. While Charlie did not like the novel (since this is the group's second strike does that mean that if August's book doesn't appeal then we have a strike-out?) it wasn't completely heinous and Dani also had a positive view but wasn't in love with the book.

Overall, it was a nice dabble in the young adult/teen sections of the science fiction genre. This moderator is considering reading the second and third books just to find out what happens. She abhors a cliffhanger ending. But we moderators promise that the next book will not be from the teen section.

Now "Defy the Stars" is the first book in a trilogy so if anyone wants to see how the story ends, check out the second and third books. Also, this author has written several other series, including books in the Star Wars Universe and three adult mysteries set in the world of Jane Austen and populated by her characters and the children of her characters ("The Murder of Mr. Wickham" is the first).

Thanks to everyone who attended our Zoom meeting. Enjoy the Olympics and see you all next month!

Moderators Jess & Beth