Thrilling. Positively thrilling.
Queer teens get their James Bond moment—and then some.
After his latest foster mom betrays him, sophomore Nicolas Hall winds up in a conversion therapy prison in California called the Institute. As inmate Number Seventy, Nico narrowly (but cleverly) escapes, promising to come back and save his friend Bec. Meanwhile, in Manhattan, James Bond–obsessed Samuel Solomon gets dumped by his boyfriend. Since “007 got his heart broken once too,” Sam tries to be “Bond-tough.” But it’s harder than it looks, and Sam’s therapist encourages him to focus on One Good Thing. Fate eventually brings Nico and Sam together in Mexico at a resort—though both of them are using aliases. Their romance is swift and sweet, until it all comes crashing down. The two boys get separated, but not before Sam learns the truth about Nico’s situation. As the police close in, can the would-be boyfriends bring down the Institute for good even when they’re miles apart? Wind’s latest effectively channels the Bond canon while reflecting the flaws of its poster boy’s toxic masculinity. The alternating third-person narration keeps the pace moving while also building anticipation of the boys’ first meeting. As the teens overcome each obstacle with almost debonair ease, this roller-coaster ride to a happy ending feels like wish fulfillment. Nevertheless, it’s refreshing to see queer kids saving each other—and finding love. The main cast reads white.
Thrilling. Positively thrilling. (list of aliases, author’s note) (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781641609500
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Duet
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
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
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
