3.5 of 5 stars

When it comes to science fiction, there are few things more irresistible to me than a story about killer robots or rogue AI. This is the premise behind Toxic, a young adult space adventure set aboard Cyclo, a massive state-of-the-art live ship that’s the first of its kind. But of course, being an actual biological construct, Cyclo isn’t your typical sentient ship. Like anything alive, it also experiences senescence, and now it is slowly but surely dying.

In order to study such a momentous and scientifically significant event, data collectors have been dispatched on a one-way trip to Cyclo to document the ship’s final days. Made up entirely of criminals, this group was never intended to make it back alive. Among them is Fennec, who has signed on for the mission as a way to repay his debt to society. He’s determined to fulfill his contract so that his sister will be taken care of when he’s gone, because when the ship dies, he and his team will soon follow.

However, instead of finding Cyclo completely evacuated, Fennec and his fellow mercenaries discover a lone girl on the ship, who apparently has been left behind. For seventeen years, Hana has been kept isolated and hidden because her very existence would have been a violation of the strict population laws. Created illegally by her mother and cared for by Cyclo, Hana dreams of the day she will finally be revealed and accepted by the outside world. But one day, she wakes up to find her mother gone, the entire ship empty. She is devastated when Fennec and his team arrive, informing her of Cyclo’s impending demise and the reason for their mission. Hana doesn’t understand why she has been abandoned and left to die, but for the first time in her life, she has gotten a taste of freedom and knows she will do anything for a chance to live.

Toxic was an interesting book, even if the pacing was uneven in some places. I loved the opening chapters which introduced Hana and her fascinating backstory, as well as Cyclo’s role in her upbringing. Speaking of which, the ship itself was one of the novel’s best characters. While Cyclo is a complex and intelligent entity, it nonetheless possesses many traits that remind readers that it is a creature of instinct. As such, many of its behaviors and actions are completely unpredictable and made this one a joy to read. Biological technology is something I love seeing in books, and Lydia Kang explored the idea in a way I found quite unique and engaging.

That said, compared to the first riveting chapters, I thought the middle sections of the novel dragged a bit. The story doesn’t waste time establishing an attraction between Hana and Fennec, which I thought was a mistake. Given the circumstances—him being literally the first boy she’s ever met, and she being the last human girl he’ll have contact with before his final sentence is served—the entire situation kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. The focus on the romance also diminished the presence of the others around them. As I sit here writing this review, I find that I can hardly remember anything at all about the supporting characters, who mostly served as background distractions.

Thankfully, the story picks up again in the last third. I was quite taken with Kang’s writing, and was especially impressed with her characters’ dialogue and banter. I also liked how Fennec and Hana were able to bond over a shared interest in antiquities, so that there ended up being something deeper driving their relationship. Most important of all, the mystery reaches its climax in this section. Toxic is a standalone so you’ll get all the answers before it’s over, and there are plenty of surprises and twists to keep the momentum going until the very end.

As usual, the somewhat awkward handling of the romance was what affected my overall enjoyment of the novel, but only slightly. All in all, Toxic ended up being a pretty good read, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Its minor flaws aside, I thought the book displayed a high level of creativity and depth of thought, and some of its darker and more disturbing moments also made for some incredible atmosphere. I would recommend it for YA sci-fi fans, and Lydia Kang is an author whose work I’ll be keeping my eye out for in the future.

This book had a lot of everthing. There was mystery in the plot, tons of sci fi elements, touches of fantasy worlds, romantic scenes, and topped with one wild adventure.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. The beginning took me quite a bit to really get into the story. I think it’s because there is a lot to get through in this world.

It was really enjoyable, and all the characters seemed to be smashed through this epic journey. There is survival and even some scary moments that bring you to the edge of your page.

There are tons of secrets to explore! My personal favorite parts were the fact that she was stuck on this huge, space ship with her mother missing. I think that if you really like space adventures, this unique twist will bring you right to the end.

I ended up DNFing this at 25%. I found a lack of world building in the beginning made the story hard to follow.
It just wasn't for me.

Toxic is definitely a type of Sci-Fi that I absolutely love. Where it has a little horror and suspense mixed into the story. The kind you can’t stop reading.

So Cyclo is a spaceship that is alive but dying. I found the whole concept of the ship absolutely fascinating and what a great idea. After the main crew evacuated an additional crew is sent to the ship in order to record Cyclo’s last moments. There are so many cool features about the ship and how it worked. I loved reading about it and picture it in my mind. Honestly I think I always picture the Enterprise and just change details but you know. It was pretty cool.

I don’t want to give anything away on the plot but it was definitely fascinating. I had my suspicions early on but it didn’t make the story any less enjoyable. I loved the suspense of what was going to happen next.

As far as the romance is concerned. I didn’t feel like I really needed it. I think the story would have been perfectly fine without out but I also think it makes sense. Especially for someone who has never lived outside a room and someone who thinks this the end of the line for them.

I think as each of the characters back stories come to light. I felt they were really interesting. It’s just a small piece of a giant universe so even though they are different races. I think you kind the main idea of everyone’s cultures.

I really enjoyed Toxic. I thought it was that perfect Sci-Fi thriller story that is fun to read.

Many thanks to Entangled Teen for providing me with this E-Arc of Toxic in exchange for an honest review.

Life on the ship Cyclo is closely monitored and the population is capped at 1000.  Unknown to the rest of the crew, there is a 1001st member. That person is Hana. Hidden by her mother for 16 years, Hana wakes up one day to an empty ship. Everyone has evacuated without her.  Cyclo has been Hana's only friend for her whole life and they communicate easily, but now Cyclo is dying.  When a crew arrive to document the ship's demise, it's not as straightforward a mission as they had anticipated - especially when they discover Hana is still aboard.  

Sci-fi is always really hit and miss for me, but Toxic was just the right mix of haunting and nerve-wracking.  I did find it hard to remember some of the crew weren't human (mostly because I just don't particularly enjoy reading about alien races, which is often why I avoid sci-fi) but in this case it didn't distract me from the story at all.  I found it a little difficult to wrap my head around the concept of the bio-ship at first, but the more Cyclo cemented as an AI in my mind, the more engrossed I became.  

Toxic was a story that was sometimes horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking.  I'll be adding it to the small, but growing, list of YA sci-fi books I've really enjoyed!  

Also, I can't not mention the cover - look at how gorgeous it is!

I'm not usually one to read books of this nature but every once in a while I will find one that grabs my attention. It's a fast paced sci-fi romance with plenty of action, mystery and a bit of insta-love. I know some people have a distaste for this kind of trope but when done well as it is in this story, it works. I mean they are young hormonal people thrown into a sudden life or death situation, I'd want to find love too if I thought it was my last living hours,wouldn't you? Of course there's not much time for getting to know you phase when time is against you. It's a creative well written story.

This book really surprised me! I’m not much of a science fiction fan, however, I thought that this book did it really well. It was easy to understand and really fast paced. I literally read this in one sitting…so that should tell you something~

I also enjoyed reading from the main characters point of view. They had a lot of growing to do but they were really likable at the same time. I loved it.

TOXIC by Lydia Kang is an exciting new standalone, science fiction for young adults readers with a strong dose of romance. This is space thriller filled with plenty of action and danger to keep things moving while a mystery keeps you guessing. It takes place in space on a sentient ship that is slowly dying; its crew has long abandoned it except for one girl who is not supposed to even exist.

Deep Space, A Dying Sentient Ship, and A “Created” Teen Girl Who is Tech Savvy.

What caught my attention first with this book is the fact that it features a "created" teen girl named Hana who's abandoned on a biological spaceship that is slowly dying. Then there's a mystery of why the crew left so suddenly, and why mercenaries are sent to document the death of the ship.

Hana comes out of a hibernated sleep to find herself completely alone on Cyclo, and what is worse, she is weak, confused and left with an overwhelming sense that something terrible has happened to the crew.

I enjoyed seeing Hana go from a weak and naive young teen to one of determination and resilience. She knows the ship better than anyone and her life and those she cares about will depend on it.

Murder, Mystery, and Lots of Danger.

When Fenn and his crew of hired mercenaries arrive aboard Cyclo and discover Hana, everything changes. As they begin to document the slow death of Cyclo and try to figure out how to help Hana return to her missing crew, secrets are revealed about the ship and a rash of murders begin to happen. They are not alone and someone does want them there.

Romance plays a strong part in TOXIC.

The building attraction is fast between Fenn and Hana but I still found it sweet and could understand it given their circumstances. The intensity of the ship dying mixed with their need to feel alive makes for some great swoony romance.

TOXIC is one of those reads that easily sweeps you away to somewhere else when reading.
In this case, it's in space on a living ship. I really enjoyed the unique way Cyclo interacts with Hana, and all the cool science fiction and tech added to the story. Kang does a brilliant job of making Cyclo a living character. I thought the mystery was well done as well.

In the End

Readers looking for a fast Sci-Fi read filled with action, danger, and romance should check out this YA read. This is especially a great choice if you like a mix of octane and romance. I especially enjoyed all the space tech Kang mixes in.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I was excited when I received this. I have not been able to be on Netgalley for awhile so I am behind on my reviews.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a face paced science fiction novel. It does have a romance in the novel that I loved.

I would recommend this book.

I made it to 35% before I decided it just wasn’t a story for me. I wasn’t interested really and didn’t care much about the characters. And I think this is going to be a good story for specific people but maybe it’s just not my style anymore


Also the ship itself “Cyclo” really gave me the creeps. Just the whole visual of “skin walls” or whatever it was made of grossed me out.

What a high paced sci-fi read!
The story is filled to the brim of adventure and unexpected plot twits that will have readers at the edge of their seats.

I couldn’t help thinking of Kass Morgan’s The 100 when I first saw the description of this book. That’s not a bad thing as I’m a big fan of both the book series and the TV adaptation although they bear only a moderate resemblance to each other, as you might expect. At any rate, thinking of that series definitely made me want to try this and I’m very glad it did.

Imagine spending the entire nearly 17 years of your life secreted away in a 10-foot wide room from everyone except your mother on board a bioship in outer space . Logistically, that’s not as impossible as it might seem because we’re not talking about what we envision as a space vessel today; Cyclo is three kilometers wide so there’s plenty of room for hiding. Hana spends 48 to 72 hours at a time in a sleeping state so, when she wakes up one day to discover that it’s been a week since she last saw her scientist mother, she’s naturally upset and full of questions. Cyclo, usually quite willing to converse in her own way, offers no explanation other than, “Your mother is not here” and is clearly reluctant to open the door for Hana but she finally does so. Very quickly, panic begins to set in as Hana realizes Cyclo is not verbalizing as she usually does…and there are no people anywhere on board the ship. What Cyclo tells her then is the most frightening thing Hana can imagine, that her mother has abandoned her.

When Hana sees the light of a ship in the distance, approaching Cyclo, she’s sure her mother is coming back but, in fact, the ship is bringing a small crew on a suicide mission to gather data from the dying ship. The moment Hana and Fenn spot each other, not precisely a friendly meeting, everything changes for both of them.

Ms. Kang has done a wonderful job with her setting, particularly in making Cyclo seem so very real and truly vivid with her emotional colors and her ability to use her ectoplasm in so many ways. In fact, I’d have to say that Cyclo is a character just as central to the story as are Kana and Fenn. I also like that Hana is of Korean descent and that the mercenaries are all quite diverse, too. Hana’s rampant insecurities and Fenn’s roguish personality mesh well together and the author makes them, and their story, exciting and compelling. When all is said and done, this book is high on my list of favorite books read in 2018.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, November 2018.

A death race in space is featured in this new book by Lydia Kang. I always enjoy her characters and the plots she can create which always hook you up and demand more. Hanna and Fennec are two unlikely characters who must band together in order to solve the mystery of the living ship and save everyone.

While I don't want to spoil everything I'll have to mention the detail in the descriptions and how Lydia Kang creates an atmospheric sci-fi world within the confines of the living Cyclo.

Hannah has been asleep for an entire week on the Cyclo’s matrix. When she wakes, Hannah realizes her mother is gone and she is all alone on a deserted ship. No one on the ship besides her mother and Cyclo even knew of Hannah’s existence. She was never allowed to leave her room on Cyclo and the only human contact Hannah has had for the past seventeen years has been with her mother. Hannah’s mom was the ship’s reproductive engineer and if the leaders ever found out that she created Hannah both of their lives would have been in danger. So Hannah has lived in secret for all of her life.

Fenn has been a screw up for much of his entire life. He is a thief, often stealing trinkets for his sister during his travels and different jobs. He is a disappointment to his family and now that his sister needs medical help, Fenn takes a job from ReCOR, a very powerful and rich company who is not happy that the Cyclo is dying. This job is a one way ticket though. All he and his crew need to do is collect data from the ship before Cyclo turns into an entire biohazard. The generous death benefits he can bequeath to his sister makes the trip well worth it for Fenn even though he knows he will die in the process. No one on the crew ever expected to find Hannah on the ship and Hannah is determined to not let Cyclo die. But, danger is lurking around every corner. Will Hannah, Fenn and the rest of his crew ever make it out alive?

I absolutely loved this story! Cyclo is a sentient ship and took on a motherly role towards Hannah. A ship with feelings you say? OMG! Just the descriptiveness of the ship alone really held my attention. The gel like substance, endoskeleton, and nurturing capacity of Cyclo really had me rooting for Cyclo to live as she almost felt human to me. Lydia Kang’s descriptive writing of Cyclo is amazing. I felt like I can actually see the ship and every detail clearly. Kang took such great care of making Cyclo not only an object, but in a way a character as well. This is something I don’t read or experience too often in Science Fiction books.

Hannah has a very child-like quality to her especially since she has been sequestered for all of her life. She learned everything from reading books from studying Cyclo’s matrix down to every last detail. But the one thing she could not learn is the subtle difference of nuance among real living people. When she first comes into contact with Fenn and his crew you can see how wary she is at first especially since the only human contact she ever had was with her mother and you can see her innocence really shine through when she attaches herself to Fenn. The only issue I had was the insta attraction/love happened very quickly for me, but in a way I think it was needed for Fenn’s sake as he is very down on himself and doesn’t believe he is deserving or worthy enough of love and affection.

I would also like to mention that I loved knowing that Hannah is Korean as I do not read enough books with different ethnic characters, so this was like a breath of fresh air to me. Also, the book is rich in Korean history and Kang did a wonderful job of incorporating it into the story.

The pacing of the story really starts off strong and never wavers in the slightest. I found myself glued to the pages needing to find out what happens next. The story is full of action and it really builds as the story progresses. There are a lot of intense scenes and things get really scary as they all try to stay alive and collect their data from a dying ship. There are a couple of mysteries thrown in the mix that Hannah, Fenn and the crew need to solve in order to stay alive. I really found myself rooting for Hannah and Fenn to find a way off the ship even though it felt like things were hopeless. Kang really had me worried the entire way through this story that things may not turn out the way I would want them to. I had a lot of “oh no!” moments which left me feeling so engaged with the story and its outcome.

Toxic is a gripping action packed space story full of pulse pounding moments that will take you on a non stop thrill ride all the way to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed this book immensely. Lydia Kang is an extraordinary writer and will easily pull you right into the story and never let go. This book is so deserving of five stars! I will definitely be seeking out more books by this author.

“Somewhere outside of Cyclo, stars are colliding, black holes are collapsing, and galaxies are being born. People are dying, and people are opening their eyes for the first time in their lives. But right now, Hana is the only thing in my universe” (chapter 20).

Thank you Entangled Teen and Lydia Kang for a free eARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Hana wakes up one day in the room she has never once left and realizes that everything is wrong, there is a world outside her door that is dying and she’s never had a chance to explore it because she was never meant to be. When a group of criminals are assigned to a death mission to document the death of this biological ship, the first of its kind, Hana realizes that all the knowledge she has acquired in her studies are no substitute for actual human interaction.

Fenn (goodness, I love his name!) has been enjoying the thrill of stealing since he was quite young, but this death mission is the push he needs to recognize how his lifestyle affects other people—a little too late. When he learns that the ship isn’t as empty as he was told, he discovers how to live, as he counts down the days until they die.

Young adult sci-fi lovers, get this book in your hands! Kang writes with such urgency, you can feel the emotions radiating off the page. Plus—it’s in space! As Hana and Fenn learn more about their biological ship’s abnormalities, as they learn more about each other, you can’t help but feel drawn to their charming personalities and their desperate search for meaning and fulfillment. Every moment that death looms closer, every secret unearthed, every refocus of perspective, every curve ball thrown into their plans—you’ll be hooked onto every word.

It was pretty clear I was going to love Toxic. It has all the elements I love: Lydia Kang, science fiction, a diverse main character, aliens, thriller vibes, and conscious spaceships. What else could I really want? I actually don't know how this book could have been any better. It is one of those perfect storms where the universe plucked elements from my head to make me the happiest person ever.

There were so many sentences I had to highlight. Kang's writing has this un-explainable quality for me. It pulls me in, almost like gravity. There are sentences that just hit this emotional sweet spot, or are written to perfection. Or are just downright funny.

Toxic is Lydia Kang’s latest release and is an intergalactic young adult science fiction romance that is perfect for fans of Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner with its fast paced story, mystery and adventure.

Cyclo is the first and largest biological spaceship of its kind, but now after decades in use it is dying. After its inhabitants evacuate, a small group of mercenaries are sent to the ship to document its death in exchange for priceless benefits for those they leave behind. Yet the ship is far from abandoned; Hana a seventeen year old girl who has spent her life within the confines of her room and whose existence has remained a secret from Cyclo’s crew has been left behind. Drawn to the mercenary Fennec, a young man who has prepared himself to die, Hana finds herself finally beginning to live even as the conditions on board Cyclo begin to deteriorate. Then the mercenaries begin to die mysteriously and it soon becomes clear that Hana and Fenn will have to discover the secrets of Cyclo in order to stay alive but they'll need to think of something quick before they run out of time or the killer comes for them too.

Lydia Kang really impressed me when I read her novel The November Girl, so I knew I had to read Toxic as soon as I heard about it. Set in a futuristic science fiction world, Toxic is a standalone novel that will appeal to fans of sci-fi who like their stories woven with suspense, mystery and danger. Part thriller, part romance, Toxic is told through the varying perspectives of main characters Fenn and Hana and depicts an adventure filled story where the characters must find a way to stay alive as the ship they are on begins to deteriorate and a killer hunts them.

Toxic was a really intriguing novel. Much of its charm comes from the mystery and unknown within the story. Set in space, aboard an intellectually and emotionally capable ship named Cyclo Toxic features elements of space opera and danger to bring the tale to life. I enjoyed the focus on what was going on right then, right there, but I think I would have liked to see a bit more world building within this novel too. The world Hana and Fenn inhabit remains much of a mystery; Kang only explained the basics and just enough to allow readers to understand what was going on within Toxic without being too confused.

Hana and Fenn were easy enough to follow and quite likable. Hana was naïve and innocent to many ways of the world due to her isolation, but I enjoyed seeing her grow, even if it was in such a small amount of time. Hana and Fenn had a fast moving relationship that developed quickly but was still sweet and endearing.

Toxic was an easy to read novel that draws readers into a dangerous world of danger and exhilaration. Lydia Kang has created a story that kept me guessing until the final page and brings Toxic to a satisfying close. Definitely worth a read for sci-fi lovers!

I have read a few books about sentient spaceships, and my favorite thing about this is that it seemed like a fresh take on sentient ships. Our girl Hana wakes up to find that she’s all alone. Her mom, and everyone else on the ship she lived on, are gone. Only, Hana has never been out of her family’s quarters before, because oopsie, she’s a secret.

Enter Fenn and his crew, who have taken this one-way trip to Cyclo ship to find out why it is dying. Their mission is to collect all the data they can, and literally go down with the ship. In return, their families might get some money (but probably not because clearly this mission is not on the up-and-up). My one qualm with the book is that Hana acclimates to other people a little more quickly than I’d have thought. I expected a bit more awkwardness, a bit more… social inappropriateness, I suppose. But instead, she finds love in a hopeless place (sing it with me!) and at first I was skeptical because it is a little insta-lovey? But I guess it makes sense. She’s never seen a human dude before, and he thinks he’s about to die so… why not, right?

It gets pretty intense as the crew races against time and a dying ship to try to save themselves. But then stuff goes…. off the rails. And that is about all I can say about that. It’s definitely high stakes, I really never felt like either main character was safe- and certainly no one else was. There are lots of secrets to uncover, and mysteries to solve, and I was absolutely invested in both the characters and the story itself.

Bottom Line: Quite an enjoyable ride with sympathetic characters and a really unique sentient ship story. Definitely recommend!

Enjoyable sci-fi adventure!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for the opportunity to read and review Toxic by Lydia Kang!
Toxic is a sci-fi adventure involving an abandoned teenager created in a lab, a biological spacecraft and a team on a suicide mission. Hana’s alone on the ship after her mother and the crew left without telling her. Fenn and the rest of the mission group members are researching Hana’s ship for future progress, even though they won’t be around to see it. They went to this spacecraft knowing that they would not make it off alive. They will die with the ship, as it deteriorates, so will they. I don’t feel like I can explain much of the story without giving too much away. I can safely say that the range of characters is fun, the story is original and Toxic is an enjoyable, interesting science fiction read, 4 stars!

Toxic reminds me of a cross between The 100 and Passengers. It's a survival story which belongs in the horror genre. It's also a romance read. It's fast-paced and written well. I'm not really a fan of horror and that's probably why I didn't like this more. For the right reader, you will love this, I'm just not that girl.

Hana is a secret. Her mother and the ship have kept her a secret for seventeen years. She lives in her mother's shop quarters and Cyclo (the ship's intelligence) attends to her needs. One day out of the blue her mother doesn't return home. Hana has never left her mother's ship quarters but eventually realises something isn't right. When Hana enters the main ship area she realises there is a lack of people. In fact, the whole crew are missing including her mother.

Fennec is part of a small data collecting crew. He is sent to retrieve the ship's log to find out what's gone wrong. His mission is an end of life situation. The ship is unstable and Fennecs reward is for his family if he succeeds.

Cyclo is dying. The crew have abandoned her. The days are numbered. Cyclo cares for Hana but she also has dark secrets, the deadly kind.

Hana and Fennec need to work out what's going wrong before it's too late. Fennec has been instructed to only collect data but Hana wants to know what's happened. There are a few twists to this story and it has a happy ever after for the two main characters.

3 stars out of 5. It's written well but not really for me.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.