Leeta Simtar: A Life on Two Planets

The Unauthorized Biography

By: Annie Fox

Narrated by: Maria Marquis

"A rousing tale about a young woman coming to terms with an unresolved past."— Kirkus Reviews

"In a universe governed by controlled narratives and cultural erasure, Fox delivers an empowering reminder to embrace individuality and dare to fight for change.” — BookLife by Publishers Weekly (Editor’s Pick)

For fans of Alechia Dow and Pittacus Lore comes Leeta Simtar: A Life on Two Planets— the latest book from young adult author Annie Fox about an interspecies hybrid looking to find herself on a new planet. A coming-of-age story that explores the meaning of birth family and found family, Leeta Simtar shows listeners how breaking out of the past can help us figure out where we’re going next.

Leeta Simtar isn’t the only interspecies hybrid on the planet Fure, though she is, without a doubt, noticeably different from all the others. Not only is she impossibly tall and wildly unpredictable, she leads with her feelings, in contrast to everyone else’s steady calm and logical demeanor. When Leeta’s offended, she rages and attacks. When something touches her deeply, she gushes and weeps. No wonder she has always believed something’s wrong with her, because clearly, she doesn’t belong on Fure.

When Leeta suddenly finds out that what she’s believed about herself is a lie, she is more than ready to discover the truth. Since no one on Fure is talking, her only hope is to go rogue and find her own answers. She travels forty light years in search of others like herself—assuming there areothers.

With just eight days to unearth her origin story, Leeta follows clues that lead her across time and space hoping to find where she truly belongs. Fans of young adult science fiction, speculative/what-if fiction, and coming-of-age stories will connect to Leeta’s intergalactic adventure. They’ll be rooting for her to get what she needs, whether that means returning to Fure armed with the truth, staying in a far away place with her new found family, or finding home within her own heart.

©2025 Annie Fox (P)2025 Annie Fox

Critic reviews

"A rousing tale about a young woman coming to terms with an unresolved past." — Kirkus Reviews

"In a universe governed by controlled narratives and cultural erasure, Fox delivers an empowering reminder to embrace individuality and dare to fight for change.” — BookLife by Publishers Weekly (Editor’s Pick)

Great tale of interspecies teenage love

Annie Fox’s latest book, Leeta Simtar: A Life on Two Planets, is an engaging read. I enjoyed spending time with Leeta, an interspecies hybrid, as she moved towards adulthood, explored the complexities of her emotions, and embarked on an adventure to another planet. I could see myself in Fox’s imperfect characters who love and are loved despite, or perhaps because of, their fallibilities. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. Maria Marquez is a wonderful narrator, bringing life to these characters. I couldn’t stop listening. I wanted to know if Leeta would return to her planet, and with who, and would there be a happy ever after?

A new world but so familiar

Leeta Simtar was such a wonderful YA story to listen to. The narrator did a good job with the dual POV in the book. We see from the POV of the FMC and MMC. I did prefer the FMC point of view more.
I loved that these characters were incredibly relatable. Both main characters have a parent who wants them desperately to be something they just aren't. This is something so many of us experience as teens and I think it makes the character even more realistic.
The world that Annie built was drastically different from Earth, yet it seemed familiar. That sense of not belonging or being different, that something is wrong with you...it is something I am all too familiar with. The fact is, Leeta is not damaged and nothing is wrong with her, she simply needed to discover the other side of her. The writing is well done, and the pace of the story moves smoothly.
I really enjoyed this YA Sci-Fi novel and look forward to more stories from the author.

Review

Leeta Simtar: A Life on Two Planets is a thoughtful science fiction story that explores identity, belonging, and the idea of living between two worlds. The concept itself is intriguing following a character whose life connects to more than one planet, forcing them to confront questions about who they are and where they truly belong.The story blends imaginative sci-fi elements with deeper philosophical themes about humanity and purpose. It’s not just about space or other worlds; it’s about the internal journey that comes with discovering your place in a much larger universe.

Performance:
The narration helps bring the atmosphere of the story to life, especially during the reflective and cosmic moments. Those scenes feel immersive and help the listener really visualize the larger scale of the universe the book is exploring.

Overall:
If you enjoy science fiction that leans into thoughtful storytelling and cosmic perspective, this audiobook is a solid listen. It’s a story that encourages you to think about identity, exploration, and what it means to exist between different worlds.

YA coming of Age and Found Family is wonderful!

Having just finished a review copy of this audiobook, here’s my honest review: I loved it!

Annie Fox has successfully told an engaging and compelling story of coming of age and found family. Fun and fabulous characters enable us to see the world with new eyes. And rethink some of our own family interactions?!

I highly recommend for anyone with a love of complex characters, warm and polished writing, and a satisfying arc for everyone!

Maria’s narration is spot on- calm and urgent, different and accepting, loving and estranged. Works great with this story!