“The Hunger Games” meets roller derby in this dystopian YA fiction book set in a world where the majority of society has been wiped out. Only a lucky few continue to reside in walled-off cities while the rest, mutants, have been left to scavenge in what’s known as the wastelands. “Skid Kids” follows a mutant brother and sister and their ragtag group of fast-friends as they fight for their freedom by entering a racing competition.

Unfortunately, full of errors, plotholes, inconsistencies, and wordiness, this book focused its efforts in entirely the wrong places. Lacking character depth and realism, it could have stood to have some major cuts and additions. With little emotion or feeling despite the many friendships and romance, the book rushes through a series of plot points that are meant to be interesting but which end up being unbelievable and underdeveloped enough to be anywhere near gripping. We move from one thing to the next at a break-neck pace and the writing style suffers because of it, devoid of description in most regards.

I rated Skid Kids 1 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an interesting take on a dystopian style reading. This kept me reading the whole time and I really enjoyed this book

In my teens, I used to devour dystopian books. Though in
recent years I've often been consumed bv
fantasy reads, I still enjoy reading a high-stakes dystopian, and
books like Skid Kids are
exactly the reason why I do.
The mutant plight is one that immediately drew me into the
story. The main protagonists are Kensy
and Zander, who are born mutants but suffer the consequences
of the government cleansing that
created mutants in the first place. Mutants live separately from
the rest of the Westport population
in the Wastelands, where it's survival of the fittest to stay alive.
The only opportunity to live a life
of safety and freedom within the city of Wesport is for the
mutants to join the Skid Kids games
against other mutants. Kensy, Zander and their friends try to
grasp this opportunity, but soon end up becoming a part of a
much bigger movement that may see them fighting not just for
themselves, but all the mutants of the Wastelands.
Once I started reading this book, I had a hard time putting it
down. The post-apocalyptic setting, the competition and the
revolution reminded me of classics of this genre that I love, and
the high-stakes narration made me want to continue reading
even when responsibility called. "What comes next?" is a
question you'll find yourself asking often when reading this
book. It was full to the brim with action and exciting plot twists,
but also moments of great character development. I do love a
good romance sub-plot, but I can enjoy a more friendship-
focused narrative even more when done right, and I adored the
bonds within this book. I can't wait to see what else is in store
for this series!

Skid Kids surely had potential but was lacking in depth at several levels:
◼ the book starts literally throwing the reader right into the story. Even though this device per se isn't bad (at all!), in this case, I really felt the need for a little more backstory/worldbuilding, to see the broader picture;
◼ I liked how mutants were depicted and the important issues addressed (such as discrimination and social justice). I sympathized with the characters and the cause they were fighting for, but I couldn't connect with (and, therefore, care for) them. Maybe it was because they seemed quite 2-dimensional to me and the relationships among them were not addressed in enough depth;
◼ the plots unfolded quite fast and I would have liked it to linger a bit more here and there...

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I must admit it’s been a while since I’v e read a book in the “Dystopian survival” genre that seemed to be all the rage quite a few years back. I’m not sure it’s just because it happens to be a genre I enjoy and it’s been so long since I’ve read one (possible) or if the book really is so darn good (more likely), but I enjoyed the heck out of Skid Kids.
Skid Kids mainly revolves around brother/sister duo Zander and Kensy, a pair of mutants struggling to survive in the Wasteland. The world building is stellar, learning how mutants came about when the government attempted to irradiate society’s undesirables (ie the poor). The struggles to survive and thrive feels real. For those that want a chance at freedom and a better life, there really isn’t much choice. Join in the Skid Track Leagues and win. What is that? A rollerball-esque competition. Though not really the same, in a way it kind minded me a bit of Battle Angel Alita. (mostly because I just watched it again a couple of weeks ago)
The book features an excellent cast of characters, some amazing world building, and a completely engaging story. If you’re a fan of series such as The Hunger Games/Red Rising/ The Maze Runner, then there is a good chance you’ll enjoy this book. I look forward to seeing where Michael Franz takes the story next.
I'd like to thank the authors and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Skid Kids.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RU4RBZFXK2FYP/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Very much enjoyed this YA dystopia in the style of Hunger Games, Maze Runner and even a little X-Men Skid Kids has a tight plot, unique story and well written characters. There were a lot of changes in POV, which might make this an awkward read for some but it’s never to the point you’ll get confused with who’s who, and it kept the perspective fresh. This is a debut novel, which surprised me as it has the feel of a seasoned author. The result is an enthralling book that’s both memorable and hard to put down.

You get thrown into the story right away, which is a bit jarring. You do eventually learn the backstory, but it's tough to get into it at first with no background context. The writing style feels stilted, making total immersion into the story difficult.

Overall, it's an exciting story of good versus evil, in a Hunger Games meets X-Men meets roller derby way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

Set hundreds of years in the future, climate change has wrecked havoc on Earth. Humans live in a walled city and Mutants live in the wastelands. Once a year, mutants are given the opportunity to compete in a viscous roller derby competition to win freedom and security. Orphaned Zander is focused on winning to help himself and his younger sister Kinsey.

My favorite book genre is dystopian and Michael Franz really knocked it out of the park with his debut novel Skid Kids. I absolutely loved this book--fantastic world building with so many wonderful characters. Lots of powerful themes such socioeconomic inequity and ethnic cleansing. But most important is the kindness and thoughtfulness of siblings Zander and Kinsey who are truly altruistic and trying to improve the lives of so many. Zander and Kinsey's mother's wisdom is quoted a lot in the book and I wish I had highlighted it to reread just her wise words.

If you are a fan of The Hunger Games and The Red Rising series, this is for you.

I hope this is a series so we can go back and revisit this world. If so, I'd love to get more backstory on the mother.

I wanted to like this book.
It's set in a dystopian future, has a good premise and mutants that aren't all evil. Sadly, I could not get into the story. There's no setting the scene, the reader is thrown right into what's happening and while this can work, for me it doesn't here. The characters seem likeable enough but I could not connect with them. Also the writing style makes it hard, it's stilted in a way, there's just something missing that makes you fall into the book.
Overall the idea of the story is good but it's hard to find a connection and the plot itself is nothing new and predictable (good vs evil).

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This volume could best be summarized as Thunderdome meets roller derby. In a dystopian future, when the planet has been nearly destroyed in a climatic catastrophe, Kensy and Zander are siblings, and, having survived the cleansing, they are mutants created from the poor of Westport gassed with a chemical that kills 90% of those gassed and turns the remainder into mutants (a mutation that carries on to future generations) - and those mutants were then driven out of Westport, thus significantly reducing the population, and leaving the remaining humans to live in a technologically-rich world. Mutants survive in the wastelands, living on "mush" from the Station as well as whatever little they can scavenge from the wastes. Periodically, mutants are allowed to enter Westport as competitors in the skid mark league - a winner-takes-all roller derby that starts with 200 individual competitors and ends with one winning team of 5, who are then rewarded with entry back into Westport's society. Deliberately kept ignorant and illiterate, the few mutants who reenter the Station are little danger to the ruling class.

Zander - taller and stronger than his sister, and also much more visibly a mutant, with larger eyes and canine teeth than a normal human, signs which are minimized in Kensy - leaves to enter the skid mark league with the intention of winning the league, and bringing his sister to join him once he does, while not risking her in the arena. Kensy, however, follows Zander to the city and enters the league herself. The story centers around each sibling's attempts to save the other, while also inciting a mutiny by the mutants in conjunction with a political party inside Westport that is based on repatriating the mutants in the name of humanity. As the children of a teacher, Zander and Kensy are both literate and much better educated than their peers, and thus the ideal foci for the revolution.

This story has promise, and the premise is sound, but it is damaged by a stilted writing style and a predictable plot: good will win over evil, evil (or at least most evil) will turn out to be good in disguise, and those morally in the right will triumph over man's greed and inhumanity for his fellow humans.

I know this has been said before but this book gave me X MEN vibes. Like a lot. A bit of familiar dystopian tropes here and there. I also don't know why, but all the while while I was reading this I was also reminded of Pierce Brown's famous brutal sci fi space opera, Red Rising. Overall, I recommend this for an enjoyable dystopian read!

Can I firstly just say wow!

What an amazing YA dystopian/apocalyptic read!
From start to finish the story line will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more. The characters are so full of life you can’t help but be drawn into the story.
A world where humans are truly the rulers and the mutants who were forced into the wastelands are starving and forced to fight for their freedom in what is called The skid track league, but is freedom what really receive in the end? If it hadn’t of been for the humans disregard for the world to begin with the mutants would not be who they are today.

The general overview of the messages in this book really hit home regarding topics of those who are different can never truly belong when prejudice and hierarchy are present. The constant battle to belong and fit in with a society that judges those who do not fit the western ideals that have been passed down from generations before them.
The writing style does change point of views of the characters as your reading which could be confusing but how well it is written you will never lose track of characters or the actual storyline.

For any YA, dystopian or apocalyptic book lover out there, this is one not to be missed.

This book was definitely a ride!. It gave me feels of XMEN and Death Race (minus the gore ). I love a book with a good competition trope, this definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. The story follows mutants living in the Wastelands, a place where they live in constant fear of being wiped out because of their origins. The community is divided into what the author names as circles, we could compare that to a family. In order for the mutants to obtain peace and freedom, they have to join the Skid Kids Games to fight for their release.

I'm not one to dive into scifi much but this book definitely kept me hooked! I am so glad I dove into this story. There was a dystopian/ apocalyptic vibe to it definitely. The descriptions of the world were detailed, but straightforward. I enjoyed the main characters, Zander and Kensy were pretty bad ass. What I truly enjoyed is that ultimately the mutants and the humans in the competition joined forces. It reminded me a lot of what we see today with all the injustices, working together for the same cause. If you're a romance reader, this book wasnt heavy in romance. However, there were some connections between different species/races which made everything even more intense and worthwhile! I definitely recommend this book for readers that want to get an introduction to scifi, this is definitely one you could start with!

Thanks so much to the author for gifting me a copy of the book, for an honest review! I look forward to reading more about the Skid Kids!

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

Wow, what an exciting read!

Skid Kids by Micheal Franz mainly follows Zander and his sister Kensy, who are mutants. Mutants descend from the surviving humans of the first cleanse enacted by the government to wipe out Westport’s poor population. They live quite primitively in the Wastelands, a brutal and harsh environment, and they form small communities called circles. The circle is as close as to a family mutants will have, considering how difficult it is for them to grow old when they live in constant fear of another cleanse. The only chance they have at freedom is by going to Westport to join the Skid Kids games, a sort of brutal roller game in which mutant teams compete. The winning team gets their chance at living as close to a normal and safe life as possible within the walls of the city. Zander, Kensy and their friends join the games, and as they fight to stay in the competition, they befriend humans who support the mutant cause and become a part of a bigger movement that could bring liberation not just for them, but also for every mutant in the Wastelands.

The atmosphere of this book reminded me of one of my favorite series ever, Red Rising, and while the post-apocalyptic setting is reminiscent of other dystopian reads, the plot and characters breathed an originality to this genre that I absolutely enjoyed. I truly felt like I was living the brutal reality of the mutants and not just witnessing it, so their fight for freedom became my own. And I love a good competition trope, so another aspect I really enjoyed were the parts about the game, but also those scenes were Zander and Kensy got to sneak about to uncover some of the mysteries surrounding the games and the mutant plight in general.

While this book wasn’t heavy on the romance, there was a romance subplot surrounding Zander and a human girl named Lucky. They were so cute! *cue the sobbing* Their interactions were adorable, and I loved their sort of Beauty and the Beast dynamic, seeing as Zander is not regarded as a human by most of the society because of his physical mutation. I would be lying if I said I’m not dying to know how their story continues in the sequel. Speaking of the sequel, the ending has me thirsting for more. What does the ending mean for the mutants? Will they succeed in their quest for freedom? Who will survive? I need to know!

I recommend this book to fans of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series and to readers who enjoy stories like The Hunger Games. It has a healthy mix of action and political intrigue that I truly enjoyed!

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy. Opinions are my own.

I love this genre. I've been reading dystopian for about as long as I can remember. I was a reading junkie when YA dystopian hit an all time high. I've read almost all the classics-- Hunger Games, Uglies, The Giver, Divergent, Maze Runner, etc, etc, etc. It's no secret that this is MY FAVORITE type of novel. That being said, this is a wonderful example of dystopia! I would line this us beside Hunger Games with no shame at all. You've got all the general tropes-- children competing against each other, two out-of-the-ordinary competitors, competitors joining together to beat the Man, unusual alliances, evil grown-ups. It's all there and very well done.

While the novel does have a bit of a large ensemble cast, every character is well-written and well-rounded. You'll find yourself rooting for them from the very first page, and when the antagonist is introduced, you'll despise him right away.

In my opinion, the plot actually started out kinda slow. I pushed through in the hopes that it would pick up-- once the main group got to Westport. And man, did it ever pick up! At about the 25% point, when you get past all the exposition, everything falls into place and you're in.

PICK THIS UP. You will not regret it.

Full review on my blog.

Did not finish, first chapter went too fast for my tastes. I couldn't even hardly tell what was happening, I don't like when the story just jumps right in. A little backstory would be nice. Or something to set the scene

When is book 2 coming out???? Please don't make me wait too long!

First off I should say I'm a roller and ice hockey fan so this is right up my street. Not much out there for roller fans. So this is a dystopian world where in order to control population, the government released a toxic gas to wipe out "mutants" who had appeared years before after the 4th world war. Mutants are segregated ( like illegal immigrants) and left out in the deserts. Uneducated, they have only one shot at freedom. The skid mark league. Basically a roller race where there are no rules. Enter 2 educated mutants and you have the recipe for an uprising.

The book blends together the politics and the racing seamlessly. The characters are likeable and there's quite a few of them, so they aren't overly developed. There are a couple nice plot twists, a few crap I knew it moments, and some definite I can't put this book down until I am sure they are safe moments.

I suppose the beginning was a little slow. There was a lot going on to set it all up. But as soon as the story gets going, that's it, it doesn't let up. And let's face it, the dystopian battleground against which all others are judged, took a whapping 11 chapters to get to the battle!

I really enjoyed this. The writing style isnt special, but it's easy to read and pacey. I think this would appeal to boys and girls and has male and female protagonists. The ending suggested at least one more book, although I hope this won't be too political. Somehow they need to keep the SML going. I think the game is a unique selling point so I really hope the author reads this and agrees.

I've given this 5 stars as I'm looking forward to the next book and although I was kind of hoping there would be a big C at the end, I get why there wasn't and want to see what happens next.