Although this outing may not be a literary masterpiece, it is an expertly plotted, skillfully executed modern take on Hindu...
When demon lords threaten to destroy the mortal realm, only two half-demon, half-divine teens can stop them.
A few months after saving the human race from annihilation in Alpha Goddess (2014), seemingly ordinary teens Kyle Knox and Sera Caelum were looking forward to returning to normal high school life. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for their peace to be shattered by a demon attack—one far more troubling than what they previously encountered. Someone, or something, is opening portals from Xibalba, the demon realm, onto the mortal plane. As, respectively, an Azura Lord and a Goddess marked by the Dark Realms, only Kyle and Sera have the powers necessary to save humanity—that is, of course, with a little help from brown-skinned Kira, a beautiful and reckless new student with a divine secret. While Howard intelligently incorporates her deep understanding of Hinduism in a gripping story, her prose can be clunky and her characters’ voices inconsistent. Furthermore, the majority of her huge cast of characters is given little time to develop, making it hard to invest in anyone besides the two likable protagonists. The complexity of Howard’s world is such that readers new to the series should begin with Book 1, which establishes Sera's Indian heritage and Kyle's racial ambiguity.
Although this outing may not be a literary masterpiece, it is an expertly plotted, skillfully executed modern take on Hindu cosmology that will leave readers eager for the next installment of this girl-positive series. (Fantasy. 12-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-51070-989-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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 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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