A duology closer incorporating magic, war, and love and set in a lush, well-described fantasy China.
The fate of the human kingdom—and the immortal and demon kingdoms as well—hangs on one girl and what her heart decides in this sequel to The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (2025).
Àn’yīng and Hào’yáng, who’s heir to the mortal throne of the Kingdom of Rivers, have returned to Àn’yīng’s village. They have a plan that will protect her family and the rest of the kingdom from the demon mó forever: a marriage between them, which will create a political alliance linking the mortal and immortal realms. But working against them are the demonic forces, led by Yù’chén’s mother. Yù’chén, whom Àn’yīng is impossibly drawn to, is key to the bonds between the three kingdoms, just as much as Hào’yáng and Àn’yīng are, and ultimately fate will bring them together, to violent ends. Àn’yīng’s travels through the dark kingdom of the demons and the heavenly kingdom of the immortals are grounded in Chinese mythology and folklore, and the worldbuilding includes familiar fantasy components, such as glittering gowns and dangerous, seductive men. Àn’yīng’s story and the choices she makes are engrossing enough, but her confused love triangle, while adding conflict, isn’t given enough space to fully develop. Still, this is a readable work that effortlessly incorporates Chinese elements, such as dragons and an immortality pill, that enrich the story.
A duology closer incorporating magic, war, and love and set in a lush, well-described fantasy China. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780593813881
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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