In the future, one girl gets caught up in a gangster's plot, a family's secret, and a subculture's theatrics
City of the Invaders is a dystopian novel for young adults and middle-graders. It is the first of two books set in the Palladian civilization. 15-year-old Katia lives as part of a tiny minority group 300 years in the future. Her people, the EC, are known for their literacy and distinctive traditions—including theater--but they are unpopular even though relationships with the surrounding people are slowly improving. When Katia’s family has to move to a high-tech, impressive city-state sealed in by a bubble dome, she’s eager to meet other EC children. But the theatrical production that she and her reclusive brother are thrown into headfirst is only one of the problems she encounters in Wyncon. A malfunctioning robotic pet, a mysterious message from long-lost relatives, and the next thing she knows, Katia finds herself caught up in the city’s gangster-ridden politics.
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Dystopian. 210 pages. Some light action violence.
A friendly old woman; a hostile old friend; and a fearless tomboy along for the ride
Consuela is the second book in a series about the dystopian civilization of Palladia in the 24th century. This story uses new characters to broaden the vision of the EC of Wyncon past the first book and centers on an old EC woman named Miss Plummer who has developed an itch for exploration. Along with her team of 3 friends—shy Amy, flamboyant Rachel, and bookish, amusing Rena—she travels into the neighboring country of Belaria. Once there, she has to rely on a last-minute addition to her group, a highly opinionated young Invader girl named Consuela, to help extricate her from a maze of startling politics that descend without warning. The leader of the Talvira city-state is out to get the EC—and Miss Plummer is shocked to find her supposed old friend Mr. Lazeemboi seems out to get her!​​​​​​​
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Dystopian. 195 pages. No content warnings.