Aetherbound

March 1, 2021
In an oppressive science fiction world, a young woman discovers the meaning of family and autonomy. The Stavenger Empire has the galaxy in a stronghold, forcing its citizens into tyrannical relationships that prioritize specific lineages and skill sets while dampening rebellion. Pendt Harland lives on a merchant ship tied to her family line: Only Harlands can control the ship, and further, only those with specific abilities. Pendt, having gene-sense (the power to magically sense and alter aspects of organic matter), is considered useless in her family's strict hierarchy and so faces abuse and neglect until she comes of age and can be sent away to earn her keep outside the Family. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, Pendt leaves everything behind to start anew on a bustling space station. There, she meets twins Fisher and Ned, earnest boys also trapped in the churning machinery of the empire. Together, they might just find a way to loosen the holds that the society has on them all. With an emphasis on valuing chosen family, securing bodily autonomy, and challenging authoritarianism, this intimate, character-driven yarn brings stunning revelations in every chapter. With each mystery that reveals itself, the worldbuilding grows stronger, enveloping readers in a grounded universe that feels nearly tangible. A major character is trans; main characters are coded as White. A close-knit, endlessly cathartic gem. (Science fiction. 14-18)

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March 22, 2021
A teen flees her emotionally abusive family in this slow-burning, character-driven space opera by Johnston (The Afterward). Since age five, Pendt Harland has been told she’s useless, her magical gene-sense considered a waste of precious calories aboard her blue-eyed, white-skinned family’s generational trading ship, especially compared to more desirable powers, such as the star-sense required of the ship’s captain. As her 18th birthday approaches, Pendt vanishes into the depths of Brannick Station during a stopover, encountering Fisher and Ned Brannick, the twin brothers who run the station. To legally escape her family’s clutches and aid the brothers with their own plans, she marries Ned, who soon joins the rebellion against the oppressive Stavenger Empire; she then grows closer to Fisher while building a life for herself. When her family returns, though, Pendt must use her powers to engineer an unorthodox, extremely dangerous solution. Johnston packs a lot of galaxy-spanning worldbuilding into a small space. Though some threads, especially surrounding the rebellion, feel underdeveloped, character elements—particularly Pendt’s recovery from a lifetime of abuse—offer an affirmative arc about emotional healing and personal growth in the wake of trauma. Ages 14–up. Author’s agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary.