An uplifting read about love and acceptance in a chaotic universe.
A young woman must save the universe and fulfill her destiny.
In an effort to maintain balance in the universe, creator god Indigo existed in opposition to god of Destruction Ozvios. But Indigo died and was reborn in the body of teenager Zaira Citlali, who lives on Mal Ares, a planet colonized by the Ilori Empire, which is allied with Ozvios. Zaira is the last nightweaver, someone who can harness the power of music. Indigo used songs to create life, and harmonious song can defeat Ozvios—if all the planets can come together. But Zaira must learn to awaken Indigo’s power within herself before the Ilori can sacrifice her to Ozvios. Narrowly escaping death, Zaira seeks pilot Wesley Daniels, the Andarran empath her grandmother insists she must find, for help defeating Ozvios and the Ilori emperor in an intergalactic war. This novel interweaves first-person narratives from Zaira and Wesley with podcast transcripts, song lyrics, and other interludes. The result is a rock-solid story filled with introspection, humor, suspenseful twists, and fully developed characters and in which intricate worldbuilding details and plot elements are seamlessly and cleverly interwoven. Wesley falls for charismatic podcaster Rubin Rima, whose characterization evokes hilarity and compassion. The novel speaks to real-life experiences of colonization and trauma through its Black protagonists whose experiences propel them toward restored faith in humanity. “Thick, strong, and sturdy” Zaira is a wonderfully body-positive lead.
An uplifting read about love and acceptance in a chaotic universe. (Science fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781335453723
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A uniquely arranged bouquet of terrors, as disturbing as it is beautiful.
A family’s secrets rise to the surface as a young man investigates a suspected murder.
Evander, who’s 17 and lonely, never leaves his room in the manor on Hazelthorn Estate. He’s told he’s too fragile and is locked away “for his safety” while an elderly butler feeds him brain-addling “medicine.” But one night changes Evander’s life—and the manor’s future—forever. Byron Lennox-Hall, Evander’s billionaire guardian and the family’s patriarch, dies unexpectedly. Relatives descend upon Hazelthorn like vultures as a shocking twist reveals that Byron left everything to Evander alone. Without Byron around to keep his only grandchild and presumed heir, Laurence “Laurie” Lennox-Hall, away from his ward, Laurie and Evander become the unlikeliest of allies. When they were boys, Laurie attempted to kill Evander—but, maddeningly, Evander can’t stop thinking about him. He also suspects that someone murdered Byron. Drews’ latest starts off as a straightforward whodunit and turns into something that’s far more sinister—and delicious. From descriptions of moth-eaten decay to vivid floral imagery, Drews luxuriates in atmospheric prose. Their literary green thumb nurtures intertwining themes of monstrosity and abuse alongside yearning, first love, queerness, and mystery. The slow-burn romance at the root of this blend of gothic and body horror is as tender as it is unforgettable. Evander is cued as autistic, and main characters present white.
A uniquely arranged bouquet of terrors, as disturbing as it is beautiful. (author’s note) (Horror. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781250376299
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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