Innate

Wonderful characters, interesting plot and very well written. Definitely an enjoyable if somewhat strange read.

So this was a short and fun read, I loved the character of Esri, and how he guides Esri throughout the book, and helps him rescue his brother, father and his brother’s friends.
The best part of his help surely has to be the way Esri shows Chance how his disability is not a disability but a power, and the way Chance bridges with the characters is the best, this heartfelt book is a must read!

I was immediately hooked to the story line and drawn to the main character. I loved the mix of fantasy woven into more realistic fiction as well. It was a fun mix of fantasy and dystopian but with real life challenges, emotions and family dynamics ringing through as well.

Innate is an interesting middle-grade book about a boy that uses his seizures to enter another dimension called the Unseen. The story started out kind of slow for me but once it got rolling it was pretty good. The characters were well written and the plot is unique. There are a lot of unanswered why and how questions but if you overlook them it is enjoyable.

When I heard about this book I knew I had to pick this up and I'm so glad I did, I've never read something quite like this before. And as i started reading i couldn't put the book down, i loved the writing style of the book i think it just fit the story perfectly and i loved the way the story went. I highly recommend picking this book up even if you're not sure you'll like it, I think it's worth a try because I loved it so much.

This one reminded me a bit of the atmosphere found in A Wrinkle in Time, but with a very different twist and direction.

Chance suffers from epileptic seizures, which are often triggered by stress. When the army marches into his school and takes his older brother and his classmates off for to serve the country, that's definitely stress. While Chance's parents try to hide their fears as it becomes clearer and clearer that he might never see his brother again, Chance meets an invisible man, who claims to be from another realm. He also claims Chance's seizures are in fact a rare power to move between realms if used properly. Chance agrees to train with this man in the Unseen and learn to use his abilities in hopes of saving not only his brother, but his family and friends.

This story starts off with tension pure as sixth grade Chance has his brother ripped away from his right before his eyes. His need to mentally deal with the situation but problems with his seizures creates a sympathetic situation, which is hard not to get hooked by. Chance is a nice guy, who deals with life as best he can. His concern for his family is inspiring as is his ability to read situations pretty well. I appreciated that he didn't trust the stranger from the Unseen right away but allowed this to develop in a more natural and believable way.

The writing is very well done and keeps the pace smooth. The scene descriptions are detailed enough to allow the reader to see the world around them without being bogged down. Emotions aren't forgotten and make the characters more likable and understandable. I did find some of Chance's thoughts and dialogue a little older at times, and younger at others. Also, there isn't quite as much tension, in general, as there could be in some scene, but still, I enjoyed reading it and wanted to see what happened until the very end.

I did enjoy the dance between realms and found that this was smoothly done, never feeling cliche. I was a bit confused about several aspects of the Unseen, and this confusion stayed until the end. But it's a nice read with lots of originality and a main character to like. It's definitely worth grabbing up and taking a peek at.
I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley.

Genre: middle-grade, sci-fi (supernatural fiction)

Triggers: vomiting, pills (but no drug abuse)

Rep: epilepsy, dyslexia

3.5/5 stars


Chance Dawson suffers from epilepsy. When soldiers suddenly take away a group of children (including his brother Paul) on the last day of school, Chance is determined to help his brother despite his heavy reactions to stressful situations. He partners with a mysterious being named Esri to learn how to access his powers and rescue his brother.

This was an interesting read, though I have mixed feelings about it. I absolutely loved many aspects of this story. One of my favorite parts of the beginning was the family dynamic. The story starts out extremely strong and fast-paced, and once we meet the parents we understand how much love and care is present in their house daily. I enjoyed the transparency and communication between child and parents especially in regards to Chance’s illness. As the story progresses, the family dynamic changes. I found myself thinking their bond seemed less strong at times, however, given the situations the parents were facing, the depiction was absolutely plausible. I actually appreciated the raw presentation of hurt and frustration.

Another great aspect was the sci-fi part of the story. Presenting Chance’s epilepsy as a power instead of a weakness is inspiring. After the “Unseen” was mentioned for the first time, my first thought was that the author was hinting at cognitive behavioral therapy, which I have never read about before in a middle-grade novel. The only problematic aspect may be that the storyline encourages seizures as a form of entering the other dimension. Seizures can be harmful to the body and, while controlled thoughts can help with anxiety and stress (a trigger for seizures), they should not be used to force an episode.

Now, the ending….. I have so many questions! There has to be a sequel and I will definitely be picking it up as soon as it releases! Despite the small flaw that I mentioned before, I feel strongly for the characters and I definitely want to see how the mission continues.

I do recommend this book if you are looking for a family-focused, emotional read.

When I first read the synopsis, it reminded me of A monster calls. This book, obviously, is different from Patrick's story, but I've enjoyed it as the first one.
Here we have a little boy Chance, who watches how some soldiers take away his brother with other teenagers, from the school. The government fight a war, and they're loosing it, so they need young people to train them to become supersoldiers.
Chance is devastated, plus he suffers from epilepsy and stressful episodes, that make him take pills.
But this episodes, actually isn't a sickness. It's his superpower, that he can use to help his brother Paul. Esri, the Omnituen, know how to travel between the Seen, real world, and the Unseen, the 'dream' world. He decides to teach Chance and help him to rescue his brother Paul.

I loved this book. At first I thought I was a bit fast paced, but then when the story goes on, I was really hooked, and it was a bit difficult to put the book down.
I liked a lot the characters, and the relationship between Esri and Chance. It was very good written, and the world building is amazing, specially when Chance goes to the Unseen world.
It's a short but very cute story, where the author speaks about the anxiety's problem. I have this kind of issues too, so I understand Chance's feelings. Also, I loved how the family relationship is treated: love and support.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the copy of this beautiful book

Wow! What a creative and different book! Chance is struggling, he feels alienated at school and sees himself as weak for having seizures due to Epilepsy. Chance learns his disability is part of what makes him powerful. When Chance’s family needs him he is able to use the thing that makes him different in order to help the people he loves.

Chance is a likeable relatable character and the relationship he has with his family is just so wholesome. As an educator I would love to read this book with middle grade students. I think it's a great lesson in not underestimating others or especially not underestimating yourself.