Thank you West 44 Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I’ll always be impressed by how much depth and excitement Gume Laurel III packs into his books!! Ariel is excited to get the chance to spend a few weeks at Camp Juniper away from the disappointment of his mom and stepdad. Especially when their disappointment is over something as ridiculous as his sexuality. Also going to camp means possibly getting to meet tech genius Professor Cuellar, who runs the camp. But things start off weird when he finds himself both drawn towards and annoyed by four fellow camp members. Convinced to meet Itzel, the one he’s drawn to, at midnight he’s hoping that the two might have a connection. Which is weird because they only know each other for a day right? He’s disappointed to find they are joined by Gio, Celi, and Julianna. To his disbelief they inform him that the five of them are reincarnated from superheroes from Mars. Superheroes that were created to defend the people of Mars from The Gemini’s, an alien race who sought to invade them. They lost, but not before Professor Cuellar sent their life forces to earth. Now that they have Ariel they can resume The Diadem, their superhero group, in case The Gemini ever return. Put is Ariel really who they’ve been waiting for? Can he really trust these four strangers? And if it’s true are the Gemini really gone? A fun queer superhero read that is quick and compelling! I enjoyed Ariel and the others and the surprise twist ending! As typical with Gume’s books it consumed it in one sitting! Action packed with a touch or romance, a heartfelt story about knowing your worth, humor, and found family!

I really enjoy reading from this author! - though I don't generally read much sci-fi so most of this went right over my head, it was a quick fun read! - It was cool to read something a little more out of my comfort zone!

Gume’s writing doesn’t fail at keeping me interested and invested. The world he creates in this hi/low verse novel reminds me of why I want to get lost in a book. I didn’t want it to end and with the ending, I sure hope it isn’t the last time we visit this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rosen Publishing Group, West 44 Books, and Gume Laurel III for the opportunity to read The Final Diadem in exchange for an honest review.

I kind of went in blind with this one because at this point, Gume Laurel III is an auto-read for me. I absolutely love the craft, style, and depth that he takes such short novels through, saying a great amount with few words. P.S. there is a BOOK TRAILER for this novel, and it's super vibing. I absolutely love the character artwork on each side framing the video; it really makes this novel stand out even more to me.

This novel follows Ariel, who is on his way to Camp Juniper, something he is excited about for the summer. As he meets the campers, he finds that there is more to this camp than was advertised on the commercial. Four of the campers approach Ariel and tell him a wildly far-fetched tale: that they believe him to be a reincarnated hero from Mars! All he has to do is touch the Mars soil and his power should activate. This sounds absolutely absurd to him! People from Mars centuries ago, multiple reincarnations, and Martians versus the Gemini (creatures that aim to end the people of Mars)? What?

Another fun ride from Gume Laurel III that did not disappoint. It's mundane beginning into its heroic action-packed sequences, all told in the HiLo novel-in-verse style made for a truly unique and exciting reading experience. A fun sci-fi for teen readers.

in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fun fast paced novel in verse just like Gume’s other books. Full of sci-fi action and elements of fighting and friendship, this felt like a space anime I would love. Gume is always able to tell such complex stories in short sections/pages and I’m always so interested in the plot and where everything will go. This like his last books was so good and I’m always ready and excited for what comes next!!

I’m always amazed at how much story and detail that this author (who happens to be a fellow Floptropican) packs into their HiLo verse novels. I can’t quite explain it, but my brain literally just soaks their words up like a sponge. Anyway, this book was fast-paced and exciting, and has a great story to boot! And no spoilers, but the final page clocked my tea into outer space.

I had never heard of Hi/Lo Verse books were before The Final Diadem came into my life, and in case you don’t know what they are: they’re books written in verse that are meant to be extremely readable and accessible to all people. The prose is fairly simple and there’s no heavy vocabulary, making them great reads for people for whom English is a second language or anyone looking for a light, easy read.

The simplicity of the writing doesn’t mean it’s not strong, though, and the story was super engaging. I read it all in one sitting because wdym these teenagers are actually superheroes from Mars? I had to know what was going on with all of that.

I loved that each hero had an elemental power but they weren’t the usual elements, which made it a lot more interesting. I really liked Ariel, who felt like he didn’t belong and couldn’t be his true self around his family, only to find that he had another, wholly accepting family he never knew about. When he connected with them, it was fun and exciting. It felt kind of like watching an episode of Sailor Moon.

And the ending… wut. That better be the setup for a sequel, otherwise I’m mad 😂

Thank you so much to West 44/ Rosen Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Ariel goes to summer camp expecting a relaxing two weeks, but soon finds an unlikely group of teens surround him, drawing him in to them. Soon he finds not only is he attracted to a couple of them, he also finds he’s a reincarnated superhero from mars. His summer takes on a whole new direction to what he’d anticipated.

This was wild, it was so full of unexpected twists and turns and never did I expect this would be about teens that were once superhero’s on mars. It was so fascinating and so different to other superhero stories. I was certainly gripped and intrigued where the story was going to go.

I really liked that each person in the group was so different to each other, it really made the whole of them being friends thing work more, because they wouldn’t generally be friends but they once were many centuries ago. It really also help heighten the bewilderment of Ariel when he found out, because he really thought it was all just a prank and not actually real in any way.

This was such a fun fantasy, sci-fi, futuristic book, I honestly didn’t predict the way the story was going to go at all, but I throughly enjoyed it. It was so clever and creative and unique. I enjoyed going on this adventure with Ariel and learning the truth, seeing their abilities and all the shocking revelations and twists throughout.

A iconic blast of a story about reincarnation & superheroes that will leave you obsessed! Gume is an author to watch!

I always have such a good time with Gume’s YA hi-lo stories that blend real life with sci-fi vibes. I adore his signature South Texas humor and angsty teens with big feelings, and this reincarnated superhero story was no different. I loved the queer and Hispanic representation and the action packed ending delivered exactly what I hoped for.

Thank you, Rosen Publishing Group | West 44 Books and NetGalley, for this arc.

The Final Diadem is written in verse, so it’s super quick to read, but still really powerful. Ariel goes to summer camp to escape the chaos back home, but instead of peace and quiet, he finds out he might be a superhero from Mars, in a past life.

The other campers are weird and awesome, and they have powers that make Ariel start to believe maybe this whole “you used to fight aliens on Mars” thing is real. And now the whole team is depending on him to remember who he used to be.

And the verse format? So good. It makes the story quick to read and easy to follow.

If you’re into:
✅ Queer sci-fi
✅ Verse novels
✅ Found family
✅ Camp with a side of cosmic fate
✅ Secret pasts and future battles
...this book will be for you!

The Final Diadem is a whirlwind of a novella, told through an inventive format that propels you straight into a planet-saving quest led by a band of resourceful teens. Its brisk length leaves little room for deep backstories, yet the author still sketches characters vivid enough to make you root for them. If you’re after a quick, refreshing read that delivers high stakes in under an afternoon, this one’s well worth the detour.

THE FINAL DIADEM by Gume Laurel III

Ariel expected a quiet summer at Camp Juniper, not to be told he’s the reincarnation of a Martian superhero. But when four fellow campers reveal strange powers and a shared past, he starts to wonder if they’re right—and if he’s the missing piece of The Diadem, a team once defeated in an alien war. Now, with old enemies stirring, Ariel must uncover his past before it’s too late.

I picked this one up without even glancing at the synopsis—because when it comes to Gume Laurel III, I don’t need a map, I trust the ride. I was expecting a quiet, earthy little bonding story set at summer camp, with a gentle Gume-style supernatural twist. You know, nature, stars, a bit of longing, some queer teens discovering themselves in the woods. Cue mosquito bites and emotional breakthroughs. Well. That is not what I got.

Instead? Martian reincarnation. Alien threats. A mysterious camp director with secrets. Five teens with the fate of a planet on their shoulders. A superhero team called The Diadem. And a boy named Ariel who just wanted to escape his mum’s disappointment and maybe make a friend or two (preferably the cute kind). And I was not mad at it, not in the slightest.

Told in Gume’s signature verse style, The Final Diadem is sleek, sharp, and fast-paced, but never shallow. It somehow balances pulpy sci-fi goodness with genuine emotional depth. Found family, queer joy, and some mandatory chaos wove together in this extraterrestrial story featuring superpowers from Mars.

Ariel is a darling protagonist—funny, vulnerable, prickly in just the right way—and his bewilderment at the situation feels so grounded, even as the plot blasts off into the stratosphere (quite literally). The group dynamic is charmingly messy; you can feel their tentative bond beneath the teenage awkwardness.

Laurel continues to push the limits of what hi-lo fiction can be, and The Final Diadem might be his most ambitious offering yet in terms of continuity. It’s Power Rangers meets Sailor Moon meets Latine queer coming-of-age, but make it verse. There’s romance, action, identity, legacy, and more than one twist that promises answers in future instalments.

If you’ve ever wanted your summer camp novel to end with a cosmic showdown and some gloriously nerdy heroics, this one’s for you.

And as always, I’ll be eagerly watching the stars (and the release calendar) to see what Gume Laurel III gives us next in this new universe—nunca mejor dicho.

A latine, queer hi-lo verse novel with superheros that met all my expectations!

I read this in one sitting. ✨️ The pacing is excellent, it moves quickly but still answers questions. There is a little plot twist at the end that I really enjoyed too. 😌

I could read a prequel and a sequel, which is how you know it's good!

Gume was my introduction to hi-lo verse novels and I am really enjoying them! This one was a YA, sci-fi novel. Easily digestible and a fun read! 🫶🏼

It was very fun to read a story written in verse. Felt like a speed-date, but for books (speed-book? speed-read?)! The page background was also very pretty.
The story is told by the MMC, a teenager on his way to summer camp to get away from his family for a while. His family does not support his sexuality, and we first meet him in the car with his aunt on the way to camp. At camp he connects with several other campers, but goes out of his way to keep to himself. 
This is a story of found family, queer joy, aliens and teenage superheroes. It is fun and fast and entertaining. It feels like a story told by the camp fire. Loved the feel, the vibe and the characters.

Ariel heads to Camp Juniper to find peace from his home in Houston, hoping to do the normal camp stuff. He meets four other campers that latch on to him, mostly because they’ve been searching for him for hundreds of years and multiple lifetimes. In a past life, the five were known as The Diadem, a superhero team from Mars that was defeated during an invasion by The Gemini. Ariel is understandably skeptical at first, until he sees that the other four have supernatural powers - and aren’t the only ones that have been searching for him.

I admit this deviates from the typical books I read, but after reading Gume Laurel III's #SolarPunks and being exposed to YA novels written in verse, I knew I had to read this one too! It’s such a fun Hi-Lo novel with queer and sci-fi themes that are equal parts creative and captivating. There’s so much jam-packed into this concise work: queer and Latine representation, world-building, twists and turns, and so much more! The author is truly an expert in doing so much storytelling in so few words. Even if you’re not a huge sci-fi reader, the themes and storytelling in The Final Diadem will resonate and its construct will leave you in awe.

Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to West 44 Books for the opportunity to read and review.

Read this book if you like:
🪐 found family from outer space
🌠 star-crossed lovers (literally) and superheroes
📝 Hi-Lo verse with a beautiful story


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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!