Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




Best Teen Books of 2012: Romance (page 3)

Swoon-tastic love stories--and some not-quite-romances, too.


Cover art for A WORLD AWAY
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012

"Simply lovely. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
This sensitive debut grabs hearts right away and doesn't let go. Read full book review >
Cover art for BURN MARK
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 19, 2012

"This smart, stylish series opener raises the bar for paranormal fiction, leaving readers impatient for the next installment. (author's note) (Urban fantasy. 12 & up)"
Crime noir meets paranormal romance in this addictive thriller about two London teens in whom the fae awakens, conferring abilities at once exhilarating and harshly stigmatized. Read full book review >
Cover art for KEEPING THE CASTLE
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 14, 2012

"While the happy ending comes as no surprise, the path to it is funny as well as satisfying, with many nods to Jane Austen along the way. (Fiction. 13 & up)"
A romp of a Regency romance told through the discerning voice of a witty teenage beauty whose family needs her to marry for money. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR
CHILDREN'S
Released: June 1, 2012

"Surprising, vivid and cohesive--the work of a pro. (Steampunk. 13 & up)"
A steampunk adventure in which an omniscient narrator delves into multiple heads and a quartet of friends take lurid risks to save their fifth counterpart. Read full book review >
Cover art for ENCHANTED
CHILDREN'S
Released: May 8, 2012

"Absolutely delectable; if it has more fripperies and furbelows than are strictly speaking necessary, it makes up for that in the wizardly grace of its storytelling. (Fantasy. 12-18)"
Readers who get past the generic title and an off-puttingly generic cover will discover a fabulous fairy-tale mashup that deserves hordes of avid readers. Read full book review >
Cover art for A BREATH OF EYRE
CHILDREN'S
Released: April 1, 2012

"A smart and rewarding ode to literature. (Fantasy. 12 & up)"
This richly satisfying tale of first and last love transcends its genre--not another breathless, fan-fiction take on a literary classic but an intertextual love letter. Read full book review >