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THE DAGGER AND THE FLAME

From the City of Fantome series , Vol. 1

A promising series opener that’s sure to please adult readers of young adult novels.

A forbidden attraction and explosive secrets set a city aflame.

Eighteen-year-old Seraphine Marchant’s mother manufactures Shade, a dust sourced from the boneshade plant that’s imbued with the power to manipulate shadows. Shade magic is used by the rival guilds that rule the city of Fantome’s underworld—Cloaks swathed in Shade-infused garments blend into the shadows to commit thievery while Daggers ingest it and acquire the ability to kill with a single touch. When her mother is murdered, Seraphine flees from the countryside to Fantome, seeking sanctuary among the Cloaks. But she’s the Daggers’ newest mark, tailed by talented Ransom. The two are recklessly drawn to one another as a new danger emerges from the darkness and surprising discoveries upend the rules of Shade and shadows. The lush worldbuilding of cobblestones, catacombs, and saints includes a richly crafted history that’s deftly introduced and ripe for continued exploration in the next installment. While the first third of the novel is well paced and tenderly developed, the quality of the remainder is uneven. The juvenile, innuendo-filled taunts lack charisma, although the more sincere exchanges and reflections achieve sultry depths. The repetitive overuse of expletives becomes tiresome, cheapening the dialogue. A steamy encounter that lacks verbal consent and contains power dynamic–coded language feels reminiscent of romances written for adults. Main characters are cued white; the strong supporting characters add racial diversity and elevate the narrative development.

A promising series opener that’s sure to please adult readers of young adult novels. (map, character list) (Fantasy. 16-adult)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024

ISBN: 9781665955119

Page Count: 512

Publisher: McElderry

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024

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IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.   (Fiction. 14 & up)

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

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NOTHING LIKE THE MOVIES

From the Better Than the Movies series , Vol. 2

A worthy second-chance romance.

In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.

After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.

A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024

ISBN: 9781665947138

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024

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