Byzantine worldbuilding and high levels of gore plus a muddy plot equal reader dissatisfaction.
Another post-apocalyptic world gone mad.
Tenn is a Hunter whose tattoo binds him to the powers garnered by the Spheres of Water and Earth, powers that rise in him against his will during an unexpected kraven attack. The monstrous, hybrid kravens and the evil necromancers have despoiled the modern world. The white teen and his comrades live at Outpost 37, a makeshift military post housed in a vacant hotel in Outer Chicago. Following the hunt, Tenn receives an unexpected visit from incubus Tomás, one of the most powerful Howls in the world, a servant loyal to the Dark Lady. For reasons unknown, Tomás wants to capture Tenn, and most of the book is built upon the question of why every powerful figure in the world wants to claim Tenn as their own. The fleeing Tenn is accompanied by powerful Sphere carriers sent to protect him, just the first of many to tell him that he is wanted by the Prophets. The slow build of the story becomes repetitive as it devotes itself to Tenn’s desirability. The plot is at times buried in very graphic details, often sexualized, with too many villains to follow. Tenn’s friends drop left and right, high casualties that leave readers with a Game of Thrones “everyone dies” feel—though without the compelling story. The busyness interferes with what should be a grounded series opener.
Byzantine worldbuilding and high levels of gore plus a muddy plot equal reader dissatisfaction. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-373-21263-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love.
The lives of two Los Angeles girls inhabiting different universes intersect, proving that love knows no bounds.
Brenda Nguyen has a 19-step plan to save the world. Kat Woo is haunted by her legacy as the chosen one, a role she has no interest in. Brenda, working on an environmental science college scholarship application, stumbles into Sammy’s Coffee and Pick-Me-Ups, which Kat’s family owns. As the girls get to know each other, Brenda at last finds someone who’ll listen to her detailed plans, while Kat discovers she has something to look forward to. The girls, who alternate narrating the story, must defy the odds as their worlds begin to collide. As well as being a love story, this is an exploration of familial expectations: Kat is trying to outrun them, while Brenda is driven to fulfill hers. The girls, who are of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, respectively, complement each other: Brenda learns to live in the present, and Kat begins to look to the future. While there are pixie swarms and mana surges, the action takes a back seat to characterization. Lee’s fully developed parallel worlds are alike in many ways, although in Kat’s, you can buy teleportation spells at Target. The cast is rounded out by solid portrayals of the girls’ friends and family, who are important to the plot.
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love. (author’s note, recommended reading) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250778024
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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