FOR THE FIRST TIME AGAIN by Sylvain Neuval

4 stars

This third book concludes Neuval’s Take Me to the Stars trilogy, and really can’t be read without reading the first two books, both of which I loved. This series centers around two alien races who have long lived undercover on Earth: the Kibsu who pass their traditions and secrets from mother to daughter, and the violent male father-son Trackers who seek to find and kill them.

In the mother-daughter line of Kibsu, 12-year-old Aster’s mom disappeared when she was young and Aster herself has no idea that she’s an alien. Until a blood test that has the U.S. military seeking to capture and study her. Samael, the last of the Trackers, steps in to help Aster out of guilt of killing her mom, and has to keep in check his baser violent instincts. Together on the run, they need to figure out how to recall an alien call for help triggered by Aster’s mom – and latch onto a crazy idea involving a space probe to Jupiter.

But what REALLY makes this book fantastic is Neuval’s clear, deep love of space exploration and her long appendix that engagingly shares details and stories about all the ships and probes sent out from Earth in the past couple decades. This part of the book is a must-read!

Thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.