A fun story with strong worldbuilding that’s debuffed by poor pacing.
Two esports contestants fake date to game the rankings at a competition.
In this companion novel to Don’t Hate the Player (2021), autistic gamer Zora Lyon, 17, is ready to impress her idol, Brian Juno, co-founder of Wizzard Games, by dominating the company’s Summer Academy Royale. But she’s thrown off by the presence of 18-year-old Ivan Hunt, the misogynistic jerk she defeated at regionals. Ivan is ready to rehabilitate his image after a scandal that broke up his team and destroyed his reputation last year. Each of their plans to win is shaken when they learn that streaming popularity matters more than gaming skill. Frustrated and overstimulated during a match, Zora lashes out, alienating her peers—until being mistaken for Ivan’s girlfriend wins her approval. The rivals agree to fake date to bump their rankings, but the more time she spends with her pretend boyfriend, the more confused Zora becomes about the guy she thought she hated. Told in Nedd’s witty style, this story presents lovable characters and humorous banter balanced with serious moments, such as ones exploring sexism in the online world. Gamers will appreciate the game references and well-articulated gaming culture. Unfortunately, the chaotic pacing, resulting in truncated storylines and a rushed ending, makes it difficult to stay grounded in the story or the pair’s relationship development. Zora is Black, Brian and Ivan are white, and there’s diversity among the supporting cast.
A fun story with strong worldbuilding that’s debuffed by poor pacing. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781547605057
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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
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