This book is definitely an epic sci fi novel! I am so impressed with how Kevin Emerson weaved the plot together to take us, with Jovie and Sylvan, on a mysterious adventure which had twists and turns throughout leading me to never know what is going to happen. Usually with books with flashbacks or flash forwards, it is easy to make predictions, but with this books, it is more complicated and thus took longer for me to determine what was going on. Because of this, I just had to keep reading, so although the book is long, it keeps you turning pages to piece everything together and then find out what Jovie is going to do with the information. (And just wait for the conclusion!)

I also loved the deeper message within the story that one can never know what is going on with someone else and that we must do whatever we can to make sure one another does not feel like they do not matter or we may lose them.

An odd story. A little sci-fi, a little fantasy, and a whole lot of strange. The symbolism is clear but the details are a bit too out there for my tastes. I'd only suggest it to readers who are very into speculative fiction.

This took me a few chapters to get invested in the characters, but once I did, I really enjoyed this complex, sci-fi mystery. Jorie seems to be the only one who remembers that her best friend Micah has gone missing. As she tries to find her, she realizes that there's a lot more going on in her small town than she's been raised to believe. There's a lot going on in this story, so I recommend it for advanced readers with big imaginations.

Drifters is a complex and interesting science fiction novel. Very much the vibes of Gravity Falls and Stranger Things with a small town, conspiracies, and maybe some horror aspects.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Drifters.

I was so surprised when the opening is set so far in the past. But after it jumped to the next chapter, I was so intrigued to see how it all fit together.

Drifters has that Stranger Things vibe and focuses on friendship. However, it has an entire different premise and solution. Honestly, I just loved everything from beginning to end.

I love how there's a correlation between being adrift or becoming a drifter and loneliness. How often do kids feel like they're not seen or heard? This theme will strike a chord with readers. We see how family and friends are so important as well as how we're all connected in a community. I also love a book with mysteries or secrets to unravel—and this story is full of them.

I wondered what is Sylvan holding back. Where is Jovie? Are she and Micah alive or dead? What the heck is in that light? The mysteries unfolded in such a way to feel satisfying that I was getting some answers along the way but with other twists that made sense in hindsight.

A couple of times characters take the Lord's name in vain but this book is pretty clean for language. There are no sexual innuendoes either.

I highly recommend this book! It's perfect for middle-grade and up.

Well written book with an exciting adventurous mystery. From the spooky sci-fi elements and plot to the friendships, this is everything I would have loved as a kid.

Kevin Emerson has done it again! I am a huge fan of the chronicle of the dark star books and the way that he seamlessly incorporates a science fiction story line and brings it home to real issues kids/tweens are facing. The description of Jovie and her initial thoughts about why Micah and her drifted apart were on point, I think every kid faces that at some point in their tween life. I loved the descriptions of the drifters and every time Jovie looked into the spyglass it felt like I was looking into it too. Amazing world building right there. The way this story encapsulated many many years in a simple way speaks to the talent of Kevin Emerson and his ability to write about complex ideas in such a simple yet entertaining way. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I think any kid could find something to appreciate and love about Drifters! Kudos! And thank you to the publisher for letting me review an e-ARC, it was wonderful!

This story begins with disappearances and ends with retrievals. In between is one of the best middle grade/YA stories I’ve read in a while. The concept of transuniversal travel and communication will fascinate kids who are interested in space, aliens, and weird stuff in general. The core of the story is about friendship and trust, which will also appeal to kids who are navigating the terrifying middle school years.

Well written, with relatable characters and a fascinating plot. Recommended.