One in a Galaxy
-Angie Thompson
Middle Grade Sci-fi
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What secrets lie hidden among the stars?
Ten-year-old Riley Dixon is eagerly anticipating his first spaceflight, even if his dad isn't keen on adventure. But all his exciting dreams for the future are knocked off course when a frightening medical emergency puts their trip on pause.
As he adjusts to life on the busy Etzio spaceport, Riley begins to suspect that there's more to his dad's choices than he knows. But when a surprising encounter brings to light a shocking past, can Riley choose the right course for his future? Or will secrets and silence ruin everything that matters most?
Lookie! My first book review. I picked a good one, too. 😊 First thing you should know is I'm a picky reader—okay, choosy, not picky. 'Cause I love tons of books. But I try to be careful with what I read. That being said, Angie Thompson is on mu auto-buy author list. If she writes it, I'm reading it.
One in a Galaxy is not your average, run-of-the-mill sci-f-. Sci-fi is a genre I wish I had more good books from. Because let's face it, not everything in today's sci-fi category is stellar reading material. This book, on the other hand, is so beautiful, with the "sci-fi" elements remaining gently technological and not . . . weird. I know people who do not read sci-fi yet picked up this book and loved it. I personally adore this book. I've already read it twice.😇
Now for a little deeper, spoiler-free dive into the nuts and bolts—or should I say, the gears and warp drives of this heartwarming book.
Plot
The plot in this book is kept very realistic to the ten-year-old boy through which it is seen. Enough to not feel like it's dragging, but not so much that is becomes unrealistic. That doesn't mean it lacks action, though! Riley is one busy boy, to say nothing of the emergency near the beginning and the . . . achem, thing that happened towards the end. Or things. You know how hard it is to keep these spoilers away? The end of this book made setting it down unthinkable.
Characters
Well, first of all, Riley is adorable. Angie did a very good job with this kid. He's loveable, relatable, and . . . I may or may not have wanted to cover him in bubble warp to keep him from getting hurt. Very realistic to his age--old enough to be capable and understand things better than some might think, yet still young enough to fall asleep on dad's shoulder. 😍 His character arc made the book.
Grey is the most selfless, loving, amazing person. The love he has for Riley us unmeasurable--and you can see it. Not in an overly protective way but a I-love-you-more-than-anything and you-are-my-world way. SO amazing. I love this guy.
Mina . . . Mina is that sacrificial servant with a heart of pure gold. The way Angie wove her through the story and Grey and Riley's lives was perfection. She touched my heart as much as if she were a living breathing being.
Luca was the perfect match for Riley. Those two complement each other well, Luca bringing out the sweetest qualities in Riley. 😍🥰
And, of course, the villains. I dare not open my mouth here lest I start spewing spoilers and opinionated thoughts towards . . . Yeah, they're bad guys. Like in a makes-your-blood boil way. I'm usually the first to fall for a villain. The thought never even crossed my mind.
Romance
The MC's ten, guys. 😉 There is however a slightly romantic thread between two other characters, but in a very respectful, chaste way. No monkey business there, thank you.
Content
Nothing here, possibly a medical condition, a character unconcerned for another's life. Do sleezeball villains count here? (Just kidding, just kidding . . .)
Final Note
Read this book.
Seriously though, this is one of my favorite books from this author. As I said before, it is sci-f-, but not weird. Just a boy on a spaceport with dreams of becoming a space cadet. There's really nothing not to like about this book. Once Again, Agnie Thompson was created a story that's both exciting and cozy. Have I sold you yet? ;)
Well, in case I have, here's where you can find it!
And here's where you can find more about Angie herself:
Catch ya on the flip side!
_Mac