A hopeful conclusion to a dystopian trilogy that’s as sexy as ever.
Sexual and romantic tension abounds as the exceedingly attractive leads continue to fight for their love amid amnesia, a struggle against a robot overlord, and ongoing conflicts between rival revolutionary factions before everything culminates in a final battle.
Takeshi and Khalani have escaped the prison where they were tortured and confessed their love for one another, but Takeshi’s memory is gone. Khalani is committed to making sure that he remembers his devotion to humanity—and his feelings for her—although forces seem to be working against them. Project Helix, a secret initiative from before the Great Collapse, when people moved underground hundreds of years ago, represents the only hope to reclaim the Earth’s surface. As they search for it, Khalani, Takeshi, and their chosen family must decide which group to align with: the Desert Spring or the Sinners. Engaging with timely concepts of anxiety over AI and destructive climate change, this proves to be a satisfying tale for our times that leavens moments of harsh violence with erotic sex scenes that focus on bondage and power-play kink. Readers here for sensual scenes or lavish battles will be swept up in this final chapter of the series. Earlier entries described Khalani as Hispanic and Takeshi as Asian; this volume continues to make note of Takeshi’s “bulging muscles.”
A hopeful conclusion to a dystopian trilogy that’s as sexy as ever. (content note, author’s note) (Dystopian. 16-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781464278136
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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