The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused by Kari Lee Townsend is part realistic fiction, part science fiction, and part superhero action novel. It’s also funny.

Samantha Granger could get lost in her own home—she has zero sense of direction. So it’s no surprise that she loses her way while returning home through the woods from her friend’s house. What is a surprise is the glowing green crystal she spots, and what happens to her when she touches it.

As Samantha slowly comes to realize she has special powers, she also has to figure out how to control them without everyone in school thinking she’s a freak. Particularly Trevor, who seems to like her as more than just a friend. She also has to solve the mystery of who is behind the string of crimes that have broken out in her small town, and figure out a way to get her parents back together after their separation. Along the way, she’s working on her superhero costume as well as a name for herself, and trying not to freak out that she’s going to die because she touched the crystal.

The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused should be fun to read for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged nine to 12. Issues to discuss include the role of technology in our lives, confiding in parents, and having confidence in your abilities. This new series should be fun to follow. To learn more about this new series and the author, read Kari Lee Townsend’s blog post about how she came up with the idea for Fused and what you can expect in the next book, Fearless.