Spellbinding fun with slow-burn sparks, intriguing twists, and high-stakes action.
Two magical teens from opposite ends of the social spectrum must summon a legendary artifact or suffer serious consequences.
In this world, there are the magicless and those who are part of magical society, which is itself divided into privileged, powerful Mages, discriminated-against Laborers, and violent, outcast Lawless. Hardworking Eloise Belrose hopes to become the first in her Laboring family to be admitted to the prestigious University of Magical Arts, while handsome, talented Grayson Stone, the High Chancellor’s nephew, is expected to be marked Gifted and admitted to all four university guilds: Alchemy, Illusion, Botany, and Elemental. Shockingly, their graduation exam mysteriously binds them and briefly manifests the Archive Key, which unlocks a hidden room containing powerful, dangerous books. Ordered to procure the Key within two weeks, Eloise and Grayson are forced into constant, surveilled proximity as the ruthless Chancellor prepares to conquer the Lawless. The duo’s reluctant alliance quickly turns into a fake-dating cover story that develops into real feelings. The well-paced plot combines familiar elements—rigid social hierarchies, elite magical schooling, a simmering rebellion, and secret motives—into a gripping, genre-bending page-turner. Mather thoughtfully explores class politics and injustice, but the antagonist and worldbuilding would have benefitted from more nuanced development. Eloise and Grayson (both cued white) make an appealing couple whose banter-filled dialogue entertains, and a diverse supporting cast, especially Eloise’s scene-stealing queer best friend, Maggie, adds ride-or-die humor and heart.
Spellbinding fun with slow-burn sparks, intriguing twists, and high-stakes action. (author’s note) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: tomorrow
ISBN: 9781250408419
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
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 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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