An ode to continuing to fight in dark times that struggles with uneven pacing.
Will-they, won’t-they couple Khalani and Takeshi return in this second series entry, having broken out of Braderhelm Prison in order to save humanity’s future.
To do so, they and the friends who escaped with them will have to travel across the Death-Zone, a post-apocalyptic desert in the Southwest of the “old United States,” to the underground city of Hermes, encountering new enemies along the way. The plot meanders along with the wanderers’ journey, save for some steamy carnal scenes between the leads, until they and their crew are abducted by the Desert Spring, a fringe religious society whose members live in a walled compound. Cornered, the gang agrees to the demand of the Desert Springs’ leaders, who want information from Hermes that will help them beat their enemies, the Sinners. Following the first, drawn-out part of the story, the rest of the novel feels overly stuffed with information and plot points, introducing new civilizations, communities, rebels, gadgets, and evils at such a rapid clip that readers scarcely have time to catch their breath before a harsh, abrupt ending that sets up the trilogy closer. Fans here for the sexually charged romance will be satisfied by electric erotic scenes, and the emotional growth of the two leads will keep some readers engaged with a book that otherwise feels clunky. The first entry described Khalani and Takeshi as “Hispanic” and “East Asian,” respectively.
An ode to continuing to fight in dark times that struggles with uneven pacing. (Dystopian. 16-adult)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781464278129
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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
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