INHERITANCE

The second part of Lo’s science-fiction duology picks up right where the first volume (Adaptation, 2012) ended.

Reese and David nearly died in the June Disaster, until the Imrians saved them by adapting them with alien DNA so that they can hear thoughts and heal faster. Now the secret is out, but things aren’t any clearer. Reese is with David, but she still has feelings for Imrian Amber; the teens escaped government imprisonment in Blue Base, but now, altered soldiers working for a shadowy behind-the-government agency have been spotted; on top of everything else, Reese and David are targeted by protesters for and against the alien “invasion.” As in the first book, dialogue rings true, and the characters are appealing—even too-perfect David comes off as a bit more human. The alien and political machinations provide menace, a brisk page-turning plot and lots of fun. Sadly, it’s not all science fiction: Didactic conversations betray an authorial message, and the love triangle turns into an unlikely polyamorous relationship, although these are minor blips in a generally satisfying, sometimes-thoughtful aliens-on-Earth story for today’s teens.

Start with Book 1, and prepare for a lot of pages, but there’s plenty to keep readers engaged.