It's no secret that science fiction has long been a favorite genre of mine. There's something about these highly implausible, but eerily formidable worlds of technology, that make my heart skip a beat. I've long speculated that science fiction is the type of genre that's incredibly difficult to write, not always the easiest to read, but when done well, it's some of the best stuff out there. So, without further ado, here are the top ten books I'd recommend to someone who's never read a science fiction novel before.

Imposter by Susanne Winnacker. One by Leigh Ann Kopans. What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang.

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. Fair Coin by E.C. Myers.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle. Minder by Kate Kaynak.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature from The Broke and the Bookish.

Title: Nearly Gone
Author: Elle Cosimano (Twitter)
Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
Publish Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: YA, Paranormal Mystery
Pages: 388
Source: Personal Copy

Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance...on her.

Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

Nearly Gone had me from the first touch of the synopsis - being touted as Bones meets Fringe. There's pretty much no combination in the entire world that could sound more enticing than that. So, naturally, I was hooked. And, in terms of follow-through, I must say that this is the type of novel that has fantastic potential in many regards. Elle Cosimano crafted a story with a remarkable heroine in whom we can all find bits and pieces of ourselves, a plot that's realistically thrilling and a storyline that will keep even the most avid of mystery fans guessing until the very end. 

Looking back at Nearly Gone, I find myself needing more time to sort of digest it - even weeks later - if only because of the many layers the novel encompasses. Much like an onion, it's the type of story that you have to peel back, layer by layer, if only to expense the meat and bones of the plot in a form which will actually make you fully understand the depth of the novel. At times though, I felt like the book had a ton of potential and almost reached that pinnacle of success, only to fall just a little bit short by resting on a more average approach to the actual plot. For example, there is a definitive paranormal aspect woven carefully throughout the novel. Unlike Fringe, however, this layer of paranormal activity didn't feel as though it actually enhanced or furthered the plot in the grand scheme of things. If anything, it was just an interesting, if mildly arbitrary element in the end.

In terms of characters though, Nearly Gone really stood out for me. Nearly, despite her different name, was every bit the heroine that I look for in a young adult novel like this one. While she comes off as a bit reckless and abrasive at times, she's also incredibly intelligent, which made her stand out from the crowd for me. I liked how hyper analytical she was about things - over-thinking them at times, even - simply because it felt very tangible and real to me. I also enjoyed that she was human and definitely had some character flaws. She looked down on a lot of people around her, and while it made her a bit heavy-handed at times, it also made her feel really real, and I could get onboard for that. Furthermore, she had a clear and distinct character arc throughout the novel, and there was definitive potential and growth there, which made me admire her even more.

Mysterious and alluring though, Nearly Gone lived up to its eerie title and cover in full. Ms. Cosimano has crafted a mystery that's layered, and multidimensional. I enjoyed the fact that the author took the time to expertly time each element and reveal, plus we got to see characters in new lights, as well as different sides to the mystery as the story unfolded. It was dramatic, tense and, despite feeling as though the paranormal element was excessive, intriguing. 

In the end, I really enjoyed Nearly Gone despite a few key elements being a little off for me. Ms. Cosimano is an excellent mystery writer, and I'll definitely be looking for more from her in the future because these are the types of stories that keep you reading on and guessing all the while. I give it a 3.5 out of 5, and I definitely recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy mysteries and light paranormal elements.

Title: The Bone Season
Author: Samantha Shannon (Twitter)
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publish Date: August 20, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian Fantasy
Pages: 466
Source: Personal Copy

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

I'll admit that The Bone Season has been on my shelf for some time now, but I've simply put off reading it based on the vast and categorically un-streamlined reviews. From what I've seen, people seem to either love it or hate it, and I'm the type of person that hates being on one strict side or the other.  But, I was in the mood for a futuristic fantasy novel, and I knew that this was the one book that I'd eventually have to pick up because, for better or worse, it clearly elicits quite the emotion from its readers. First and foremost, I'll state that Samantha Shannon has written a masterpiece of a novel. Like it or not, the world within these pages is well-defined, beautifully paced and welcomes you into a world that's dark, alluring and mysterious.

Having such a backdrop demands that readers be given a fantastic heroine, as well, and I was pleased to see that Paige fit the bill in its entirety. Paige is a force to be reckoned with. At times quiet and pensive, but other times reckless with abandon, we get to see through this sort of dichotomy that she is a layered, complex sort of girl. Simple - she's the type of character (and person) that I'd want to get to know. Perhaps the best part of her character though was the fact that I could see a little bit of myself in her. She toys with Warden, testing the limits and bounds, but when she retreats, we see that she's caring, observant and kind, and that keeps her in our good graces.

Warden, on the other hand, stole the show for me. In theory, I should have hated him. As the enemy, I knew that this should have been in black and white for all to see, but Ms. Shannon makes it so that there is something so very enigmatic about him that we see him instead in shades of grey. Furthermore, he doesn't really fit into any specific mold or definition. He's a million things at once, but he's never quite any of them either. He's a quiet, dangerous, powerful and beautiful character that is so very rich that I have to say he might just be the highlight of the entire novel for me. Because, in the end, even though Paige is strong and resilient, Warden equally matches - and bests her - in terms of charisma.

The Bone Season was, at times, a bit overwhelming because it is so very complex, but Ms. Shannon does well in creating a scene that is memorable and vivid, capturing us and absorbing us completely. It's a task to take on though, I'll admit, and it was daunting at the start. However, it's the type of novel that has a quiet, brooding power that will overtake even the most stoic of readers if only they'll give it a chance. I give it a high 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of YA and upper YA, especially those who enjoy fantasy, urban fantasy and dystopian novels.