Extant by Sarah Newland

Perfect young adult adventure with a plot that never slows down.

It’s just another Formal Friday for Natalie Morrigan and her tight-knit group of friends. Nearing the end of high school, the teens have come to terms with the fact that their parents are involved in some clandestine affairs, the specifics of which are a carefully guarded secret. Over ice cream, the teens settle into a familiar discussion. Are their parents spies? Secret agents? Department of defense? Nothing makes sense, but when bombs begin to fall and hidden pagers start going off, Natalie and her crew are left with more questions than answers. They turn to an old associate and find that the careers of their parents go way beyond a hush-hush government entity. Genetic manipulation has produced an ability to teleport, or tack, and this adaptation has been bestowed upon the teens, along with some hefty expectations. Their parents have disappeared and a mysterious group called Nautilus wants something from Natalie. Tired of being kept in the dark and not in control, Natalie resolves to set things straight and put her newfound gift to good use.

Extant is the perfect young adult adventure with a plot that never slows down, and you really don’t want it to! I could barely read fast enough to get all my questions answered in time with Natalie discovering the truth. But this book is so much more than its sturdy teleportation bones. Newland paints an enviable camaraderie between Natalie and her friends that makes readers feel included, especially as they test the limits of their scientifically engineered abilities. Natalie’s self-awareness and loyalty are two qualities that help endear her to audiences as she finds out what family really means. The jumps in time between the recent past from the night of the bombings and the present where Natalie is in captivity are slightly jarring, but add to the suspense and tension as the story forges ahead. Everything that an exciting sci-fi should be, Extant by Sarah Newland is a dreamy entry into the genre, with the blissful promise of more!

Amazon

Amazon