Dove Alight

March 1, 2017
In this trilogy closer, Phaet, the East Asian teen symbol of the resistance, faces losses and the final battles over the fates of the moon and Earth.The jargon-packed (Pygmette speeders, an Omnibus ship, the Singularity, "the Pandora Particle Accelerator, or PaPA") in medias res opening of a Dovetail resistance mission may send readers back to Dove Exiled (2016) for a refresher. Despite the successful mission, Dovetail is running into supply troubles, including one of troops--they've started a draft and are dipping to soldiers as young as 15. Phaet proposes a risky mission to Earth to form an alliance with Battery Bay, which would bring her back to love interest Wes, a white boy. Before any deal can be struck, villainous, brown-skinned Lazarus strikes as part of a Committee-Pacifia alliance attack. Lazarus is a cliched, cartoonish bad guy ("Love has made you soft"), which makes it unfortunate how predictably he comes back. Once the Earth sojourn is out of the way and they start engaging directly with the Committee back on the moon, the stop-and-go jerky pacing begins to smooth out. Of the handful of climactic twists, all are effective except for one too heavily foreshadowed and artlessly deployed--unfortunately, that one is the final twist. The epilogue is one of the few places where this book deviates from the formula of the standard teen-dystopia trilogy conclusion. Notably diverse cast aside, derivative and predictable. (Science fiction. 12-18)

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April 1, 2017
Gr 8 Up-The final installment of the series opens five months after the events of Dove Exiled, with Phaet leading the charge to rescue those loyal to the resistance known as Dovetail from one of the few bases left on the Moon. With more mouths to feed and resources quickly dwindling, Dovetail must locate supplies soon if they plan to defeat the Committee. Their only chance of survival is finding allies on Earth. Help is not the only thing that Phaet is hoping to come across on Earth. Since she left Wes there months ago, she has longed to see him again but knows she can't let anything keep her from completing their final mission of taking down their lunar oppressors. The heroine has to learn to balance her many competing identities as she protects her family, figures out her feelings for Wes, and takes back the Moon from the clutches of the Committee. Bao's writing will leave teens on the edge of their seats right from the first scene, and it remains consistent to the very end. As always, the characters are incredibly fun to watch as they interact and go on adventures while fighting for their cause. VERDICT An action-packed yet satisfying conclusion to the series that should please fans. Purchase where the previous books have done well.-Kristee Copley, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, DC

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
The trilogy concludes as Phaet searches for allies to help overthrow the Moon's Lunar Standing Committee before it costs her her humanity and everyone she loves. Action sequences are frequently interrupted by internal dialogue that slows the pace and dulls any sense of danger, but Phaet's struggle not to lose herself will draw readers in.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)