Sexy, thrilling, and utterly unputdownable.
The mortal world’s fate hinges on one magical, snarky, introverted teen girl.
Eighteen-year-old Mona Arnett hasn’t left her room in 10 years, preferring its familiarity and the comfort of whiskey due to her debilitating guilt in the wake of the death of her beloved older brother. But Irinorr, the crow god of love, selects Mona, bestowing upon her the power to divine a person’s soul mate and the ability to travel to the Flood, or realm of the gods. When handsome Delmar Whitman, the master of practitioners of magic for King Isaac, calls upon Mona to discern the ailing king’s true love so he can maintain the royal line of succession, she finally leaves home. When Mona divines Isaac’s soul mate, she discovers a shocking answer that she tries to hide from Whitman and new friend and fellow seer Bernadette. The deeper into the palace’s intrigue and politics Mona delves, the more she finds that deceit runs rampant: Not only the future of the monarchy but the fate of the entire mortal world hang in a precarious balance. Debut author Helander’s series opener is finely wrought and intricate in its worldbuilding, populated with characters who are sure to inspire an eager fan base and filled with smoldering enemies-to-lovers scenes replete with swoonworthy banter. Fans of Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas need look no further for their next big read. Mona and Whitman are cued white, and Bernadette reads Black.
Sexy, thrilling, and utterly unputdownable. (dramatis personae) (Fantasy romance. 14-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781368096171
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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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