I’ve heard great things about Alechia Dow, so I decided to join the blog tour. I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed this book! The Kindred is a sweeping tale of love that crosses planets and what the characters will do to preserve that love.

Felix Hamdi is a duke who likes to shirk his duties to pursue his music career dreams. Joy Abara is a commoner who lives on a poor planet where technology is basically forbidden. The two of them are Kindred, meaning they were paired at birth and have been able to read each other’s minds and emotions for their entire lives. They love each other, but a relationship is forbidden because of Felix’s high status. When the royal family is assassinated, Felix is in line for the throne and the main suspect; he runs, fleeing to save Joy. Their ship crashes on Earth, where they have to work with humans like Rashid and Sarah to figure out a way home while avoiding the hunters sent to bring them back to their planet.

The worldbuilding was interesting. Joy’s planet was colonized by the very empire Felix is heir to; they keep her people ignorant. Later, the Kindred system was created when they rebelled as a consolation prize, allowing them to be heard, although never with the royal family. This makes Felix and Joy’s pairing strange in everyone’s eyes, but even despite the obstacles in between them, they know that they’re destined for each other. It was also cool reading about the technology they have, such as the chip that allows them to communicate with humans since they speak different languages.

I liked the characters! Felix is a playboy, exasperating everyone in his life, but he has so much love in his heart. Joy is kind and strong, and I loved her character arc. Rashid and Sarah are two humans who help them, and it was reassuring reading about how they want to help Felix and Joy in any way despite not knowing them for very long.

The romance was so sweet; Felix and Joy have been bonded for their entire lives and know everything there is to know about each other. They might have buried their romantic feelings for each other because a relationship is forbidden, but there is clearly so much love between them. I liked reading about them communicating their feelings and finally accepting the love that they hold for each other.

There’s also a lot of casual representation in this story, which is normalized in the world. Joy is Black and demiromantic asexual, as well as fat which is discussed in the story, while Felix is Black and bisexual. Rashid is Black and gay, and Sarah is also Black and fat.

The Kindred was such a sweet story about love and how it perseveres. I liked the worldbuilding and the characters. If you like childhood-friends-to-lovers romances or sweeping science fiction novels, you should pick up The Kindred!

OMG!!! My heart just about stopped when I saw The Kindred by Alechia Dow on NetGalley. Dow’s debut novel, The Sound of Stars, was absolutely phenomenal, and I knew all her books would be instant buys for me! I have to say, I loved The Kindred just as much as The Sound of Stars!

In the system of Monchuri everyone is paired with a Kindred at birth; someone who is connected to your every thought, feeling, and belief. The Kindred program was intended to create equality among everyone, leaving no person’s voice go unheard, but Joy knows better than anyone that inequality is not gone. Joy’s Kindred was a mistake; she was never meant to be paired with Duke Felix, but she can’t imagine her life without him. Unfortunately, she knows she can never be with him. When the threat of the Third Chaos threatens their world, Joy and Felix go on an adventure that brings their true feelings to light, and that could change everything.

This book is absolutely everything you could ever ask for! First off, I adored the fact that it is connected to The Sound of Stars. We even see a couple characters from Dow’s debut novel in The Kindred!

I certainly don’t have enough words to describe how amazing this book is, but it is truly a work of art. Dow has an unparalleled talent for writing stories that bring prejudices to light, encourage us to accept ourselves for who we are, and inspire humanity to be better than we have been in the past. She flawlessly uses aliens and other worlds to reveal hard realities of our own world. Perhaps the greatest aspect of her books is that Dow clearly believes humanity has the ability to change.

Honestly, if everyone read The Kindred, I think our world would be changed for the better. There is no conceivable way that someone could read either of Dow’s books and not be moved.

Additionally, Felix and Joy are the cutest! It was refreshing to read a story where the boy admits his feelings for the girl first. Joy was unsure, but full of sunshine at the same time, and her character felt so genuine. Similarly, I sincerely, yet maybe unrealistically, hope that Alechia Dow continues to write stories about demi, plus sized, Black girls! She does an outstanding job at incorporating the importance of Joy’s identity into the story, while also showing her simply living life.

If you’re still not sure about reading The Kindred, trust me when I say, you need this book in your life!

This was one of the best fantasies that I’ve read in a long time. I can tell Dow is a student of the master (Octavia Butler) and this gave me Patternist feels. I loved it

The words “save a galactic kingdom from revolution” were all I needed to read to request this book from NetGalley. And that cover is stunning.

Kindred mind-pairings are pretty cool. The bond occurs at birth and is usually shared by people from different walks of life and even different planets. This ensures the “haves” are aware of how the other half lives and the struggles they endure, with the overall goal of making sure every person is seen and heard. Hopefully the inequalities that exist will be righted, but no one seems to be in a hurry to fix those particular problems. Kindred are in each other’s minds constantly – they can see, hear, and sometimes feel everything that happens to the other. Sounds kind of intrusive, right? With Joy being a commoner from an impoverished planet and Felix being royalty, they were never meant to bond, but for some reason it happened. And their connection is just about the sweetest thing ever.

Although in line for the throne, Felix really just wants to write music and sing. He’s also kind of a party guy who tends to make impulsive decisions that don’t end well. Joy works in a bookstore to help put food on the table and longs to write children’s books, a profession that isn’t possible with her station in life. She’s a voice of reason and stability for Felix, and the only one who really knows him. Despite never meeting in person, they “played” together as children and are each other’s best friend – and maybe more.

“We need to give more than we take, help more than sit idle. It’s time for change.” This quote is the overall message conveyed by the novel, and it’s a worthy one. Even a creed to live by. It may not have had the galactic setting I’d expected, but with action scenes, a bit of mystery, humor, strong supporting characters, and a little romance, The Kindred kept me flipping pages so fast I finished it in two days.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mini Review: This was a great YA sci-fi novel, that I really liked! Overall, I would definitely recommend it for those who think it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Kindred Review

Alechia Dow has a distinct and unique voice that is both enchanting and bold. She addresses relevant issues of our generation while simultaneously giving her readers butterflies and making us swoon.

The Kindred’s breathtaking cover promises a stunning read sure to give you all the feels, and for the most part it doesn’t disappoint.

Dow’s work consistently delivers a unique blend of hopeful dystopian/science fiction peppered with contemporary slice of life and fun pop culture references. If you have ever wanted to try sci-fi but have felt intimidated with all the techy terms and world-building, Dow’s work removes those barriers, connecting our contemporary times with near future possibilities.
The Kindred is a great introduction to the science fiction genre!

This read is for you if you’re looking for:

💜Tasteful and considerate representation.

I appreciate how Dow both normalizes and celebrates diversity in all forms (race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, plus size rep, etc). She speaks about opposition marginalized groups face but rather than dwell on the struggle, she brings inspiration and encouragement.


💜 Hopeful Sci-fi

Books in the science fiction genre can be bleak and dark, and while Dow’s work touches on many similar themes often expected of the genre, she gives it a refreshing, rose-colored, glass half full kind of spin.

💜 Swoon-worthy Romance

Dow creates a fresh take on the soul mate and forbidden love tropes. The chemistry between Joy and Felix as well as their complex personalities, struggles and triumphs made them a unique couple. I love how she mixes science and tech to induce such a magical pairing.

💜 All the Sound of Star references

While this is not a sequel to The Sound of Stars (one for my all-time favorite modern YA sci-fi reads), it’s within the same universe. I really enjoyed the Easter eggs and references to Ellie and Morris’ story, as well as Earth’s impending future.
It appears that Dow is creating an amazing universe with so much potential. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Do Note:

📌While there are some nail-biting moments and admirable twists, this was a slower paced book despite the huge stakes. I think some of the issues and conflict were a little repetitive (the forbidden soul mate angst, in particular).

📌I also think the contemporary earth setting may have slowed the pace down too. It started out epic and took a more contemporary teen romance turn. I do wish there were more distinct differences between the alien cultures and our human world but I think it would be counterproductive to what makes this book uniquely appealing and to some of its central themes.


The Kindred is a story that shows no matter how different we are or what our backgrounds may be, we have similar struggles and wants. No matter our socioeconomic status, our appearance, etc, we all desire love, happiness, and fulfillment. We can either let our differences divide us or we can lead with love.



*** Thank you to the publisher for an eARC (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ***

This is the second Alechia Dow book I’ve read and the premise of her stories always intrigue me because her stories combine sci-fi with the contemporary issues of today, love of music and romance. The Kindred follows two Monchurians, Joy and Felix who are kindred – paired since birth not to be married, but to be a sort of support system to one another as they grow up. Felix is a royal and Joy is not but that doesn’t stop their connection from growing into something more. Personality wise, Joy is calm and level headed, Felix is more flamboyant and seeks attention – together they balance one another.

Felix and Joy flee their home after he is accused of murder and land on Earth. They meet a human, Rashid, who befriends them and gives them shelter. I thought it was fun seeing them assimilate with the humans for the short time they are there. They learn some human music and go to the mall and shop. They even go to Rashid’s school to attend cheer practice. We get to see how technologically advance Monchurians are compared to humans with the gadgets they have on them. I did enjoy the action in space a lot, especially when the humans come a long for the journey, that was fun! The world building is wonderful.

The romance between Felix and Joy is so intense because they have been in each other’s minds for the most of their lives. It’s a forbidden love because he’s a royal and she is not. You could definitely feel the love and longing between them, it was undeniable.

I thought it was interesting how Joy did mention her social status, body size and skin tone made her feel lesser on her own planet. She related to what the humans, more specifically African American humans, were going through on Earth with the Black Lives Movement and protests. The story does pull from current events when Felix and Joy are on Earth.

RANDOM NOTES~~
Content: racism

I thought Felix and Joy falling to Earth was fun but I do wish we stuck with just being on Monchuria and get fully immersed in their world. But I get it was to compare issues like racism, colonialism, and class because they were similar even though they are completely different planets and civilization.

There is a lot of pop references in this one, because like I said, music is a big unifier in this author’s books.

There are flashbacks in this story and some were informational, but mostly I wasn’t a fan of it. I’m not usually a fan of flashbacks because I think they disrupt the flow of the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS~~
Why you should read it:

*it’s different and a sci-fi romance story
*instead of fated we get two people who are paired
*good world building, some action

Why you might not want to read it:

*not into sci-fi romance/aliens (nothing seemed too alien about them, they look like humans)

My Thoughts:

This was a fun foray into sci-fi romance which for me was a nice break since I like to read a lot of fantasy. The romance between Joy and Felix is sweet and intense, you can really feel their closeness which is beautiful. Their adventure to Earth was fun for me to read, but very eye-opening for Joy and Felix when they learn of the societal issues happening on Earth. Overall, this was an entertaining read and look forward to reading more from this author.

This was an amazing science fiction murder mystery. I loved the setting and world building and the characters and just everything. I will say that I need to read The Sound of Stars. I know these aren't directly connected but they are set in the same world. I loved the fast paced story and I could not put this one down.

After loving The Sound of Stars, I knew I wanted to read The Kindred - especially after seeing they are written in the same universe. The Kindred is set before TSOS, and I honestly loved it even more than TSOS.

Joy and Felix are Kindred, paired at both to have their minds connected for life - they know each other's thoughts, secrets, desires, and can even look through the other's eyes to see what they are experiencing in real time. The catch, Felix is noble and Joy is poor and on a planet in their system that is very much denigrated. It shouldn't have happened that these two are connected, but they are the best of friends and love each other so deeply. But when the royal family is killed and Felix & Joy are blamed for their murder, they have to escape to the first safe place they can find - Earth.

I freaking loved everything about this book. There is so much diversity, Joy is demi-ace and Felix is also LGBTQIAP. They are both racially diverse and learn what that means when they crash land on Earth... in Florida. Joy is plus size and there are a lot of conversations on socio-economic status. There are cameos by some of the characters in TSOS. The plot line is also so interesting - sci-fi, political intrigue, and themes of love, family, and friendship.

**Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

I loved the science behind this one as well as the BIPOC, plus size rep that was included. It is a great friends to lovers story and perfect for non-scifi readers to get started.

THE KINDRED is a love story between two friends (not friends.- Kindred) that will make you long for more sci-fi stories that don't disregard the softer side of people. While the science stuff is super cool (I will be reading Alechia Dow's THE SOUND OF STARS now), I am glad that there are a sci-fi book for non-science nerds.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of the novel. 2/5 stars.

I don't like to write scathing reviews, but this is a hot mess. I quite literally could not tell you about this story besides it's two teenagers who share a psychic connection, get framed for murder, and crash land on earth, oh, and they're aliens from another system and apparently there's an entire system of alien civilizations that have race and class issues, but earth is newly formed? but it's modern day earth?

I really did not like reading this. It felt like a science fiction fanfiction with all the pop culture references...it made me feel the same way when I see the book on tiktok that quotes ACOTAR as a favorite book series.

The plot was messy. Very messy. Oh no a bad guy does all of this to take control of a kingdom? I knew he was the bad guy from the beginning when he messes with Joy's connection. It's like all of the plot things in a novel were just thrown together.

I really did not want to finish this book, but I did because I hate DNFing books.

Look, it had good moments of black joy and black happiness in it, but 90% of the book was cringey and a mess. It also left off with a cliff hanger and cliche ending at the same time.

The book wasn't for me. I did not like it. Honestly, 2 stars is probably generous but it has a pretty cover and a unique concept...it just was not fleshed out well...at all.

Holy cannoli Batman! I seriously was not expecting to love this as much as I did, just because scifi is pretty hit or miss (more so miss) for me... BUT OMG! The world building is phenomenal, the character's are well written and super diverse, and the story itself sucks you in from the start.

Loved this so much!

You know how sometimes you might click on a movie or TV show on a streaming service without really knowing what it’s about? I never do that. But I do pick up books and neglect to read the description before beginning, which is what happened when I started Alechia Dow’s sophomore novel, “The Kindred.” From the beginning, I was thrust into a magical “Star Wars”-esque sci-fi world … and then all of a sudden, we were in Florida.

So to spare you from the total shock I experienced when this happened, here’s the description you knew was coming.

Joy and Felix live in a world where all members of their society are telepathically paired with another person from birth. The intent of the Kindred program is to give a voice to the poor — but Felix is the first noble to ever have a Kindred who’s actually lower class. They are best friends, as you’d imagine two people would be if they were telepathically connected from birth, but they’ve never actually met.

Felix has just worked up the courage to ask his parents if he can meet Joy in person when, all of a sudden, the royal family is assassinated. And it turns out Felix is next in line to the throne, and everybody blames him for orchestrating the assassinations. So obviously, Joy has to help him escape, and the two of them steal a spaceship and take off. And then the ship runs out of fuel, and they crash land … on Earth, in the present day.

There is so much to love about “The Kindred.” The examination of the human condition, the hilarity that inevitably ensues when two aliens encounter Earth things, the very bighearted romance, the effortless queer and BIPOC representation. But my favorite thing was the endless references to Taylor Swift.

Just kidding. I mean, I love Taylor, but obviously, the story is terrific on its own, even without Joy becoming a Swiftie.

This book is truly unlike any other. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi, but I’m fairly certain there aren’t many diverse YA books about aliens on Earth, nor are there many books about a society with assigned soulmates where it actually works. I was fully absorbed into this book, finding excuses to read bits of it while walking or sitting in meetings because I just needed to know what would happen next.

As soon as I finished, I rushed to make a TikTok about it, and I really do not have the kind of time to properly maintain my BookTok account right now. (And then I accidentally filmed and uploaded it on the News’ TikTok, immediately realized, and had to delete it and re-film on my personal account. What a nightmare.) I just really cannot shower enough praise on “The Kindred.” Please pick up this book when it comes out. It’ll be winter break. You’ll have time to read it.

“The Kindred” is set to release on Jan. 4, 2022 from Inkyard Press. The publisher very kindly granted me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alechia Dow is a special kind of author whose stories hit deep and whose characters stay with me longer after I've finished reading. I felt this way while reading her debut, The Sound of Stars, and it's carried on over to her sophomore book here. I really loved this story and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

The Kindred is a gorgeously unique story! I adored the characters, they were witty and fun. However, the writing wasn't my favorite. It was a bit repetitive at times. Nevertheless, this book was very enjoyable!
4

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I thought the concept of this book was very unique. It was fast-paced and fun to read. However, I think my favorite part was all the Taylor Swift references! I wish some of the characters and side-plots were explained a bit more and that the pov switching happened a little bit more smoothly. All in all, I did really enjoy this book and would pick up the sequel if one came out!

The author did a great job in describing Felix and Joy’s relationship. It did get a bit repetitive half way through. It felt like the author was trying to fit way too much in instead sticking to one or maybe two messages that she wanted to portray. This book wasn’t for me but they’re definitely might be some young adults who enjoy this.

this was a unique take on a teen scifi novel, I enjoyed the world built in this book. The characters were interesting and I really felt bad when the assassinations happened.

This book grabbed my attention right away. The author did a great job at giving you a real feel for Felix and Joy’s relationship. You got a sense of their closeness and love, but also their disappointments with one another. You saw what they liked and disliked about each other, which made their relationship seem very realistic. You don’t need to like everything about someone in order to love them.

Unfortunately, as I neared the half way point in the book it got a bit repetitive. I felt like the author tried to cram too much into the book instead of just picking one message that she wanted to portray through the book.

I think the concept of mind pairing was an intriguing one, but it seemed to me that the author just tried too hard. It also had a younger feel than some YA novels. This book just wasn’t for me, but I do think many teens would really enjoy this book.

Thank you Net Galley and Inkyard Press for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheKindred