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THE LAST SAXON KING

From the Jump In Time series , Vol. 1

Uneven time-traveling entertainment.

A teen boy discovers he is a time jumper when he ends up in Anglo-Saxon England.

Daniel Renfrew is a lonely 16-year-old, home-schooled by his professor father on topics that range from obscure historical facts and Latin verbs to hands-on lessons using medieval weapons. One day, Prof. Renfrew is confronted at home by a mysterious man who demands something from him. In the ensuing attack, Dad gives Dan a device and directions to follow, sending Dan back in time to England in the year 1066, when King Harold II is about to face his biggest challenge yet. There, Dan befriends Sam, who is also from the modern world. Dan learns that he and his father come from a long line of time jumpers pledged to keep the timeline safe. Sam supports those engaged in an ongoing war against a time-jumper faction bent on changing history. If he ever hopes to go back to his own time, Dan needs to put to good use everything his father has taught him to ensure history happens as it’s meant to. This first entry in a series following Dan on his time jumps is a mixed bag. Fun adventure and an interesting historical background clash with a narrative voice that sounds too young for the characters’ ages and too superficial to adequately explore what they endure. Gender bias against girls within the time-jumping community feels outdated. Most characters are assumed White.

Uneven time-traveling entertainment. (Historical fantasy. 12-18)

Pub Date: March 7, 2023

ISBN: 9781945501821

Page Count: 316

Publisher: Imbrifex Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023

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POWERLESS

From the Powerless Trilogy series , Vol. 1

A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.

The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.

Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.

A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023

ISBN: 9798987380406

Page Count: 538

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023

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ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART

From the Once Upon a Broken Heart series , Vol. 1

A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.

After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.

When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.

A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)

Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021

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