A sizzling, high-stakes debut launching a series that readers will greedily devour.
One sister offers her life in exchange for the other’s.
Maeve Fallon has spent all of her 19 years under the tyrannical reign of the High King, who slaughters those he deems traitors. Two decades ago, he banished the Martyr—the mages’ leader—and after an uprising five years ago, the gardai were sent to kill any remaining mages and the Seven Wells were drained of their magic, which once flowed through the isle of Eireann. Now the isle is shrouded in violence, its people starving and living in fear of the High King’s ruthless guards. When Maeve’s older sister, auburn-haired Finn, is gravely injured, Maeve offers herself in exchange for healing magic from the Whisperers. Maeve assumes the role of the peasant girl in the Assay—a deadly contest among noble women for the chance to become the High Queen. She’s there with a secret mission: to kill the king. What follows are brutal trials and games that leave Maeve near death more than once, dependent for survival on intense, green-eyed Wolf, the man who bound her to this bargain. This trilogy opener infused with Irish lore is a fast-paced, bloody story of cruelty, fear, and the fragile power of hope. The action begins on the first page and holds strong through the end. The characters are complex, and the romantic tension is steamy. Main characters are cued white.
A sizzling, high-stakes debut launching a series that readers will greedily devour. (Romantasy. 16-adult)Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781665989510
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Sarah Barley Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
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
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
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