Romance and political drama shape this elaborate and inventive debut.
Two star-crossed teenagers become embroiled in a political conspiracy.
Eighteen-year-old Elara Rousseau, who comes from the disadvantaged Restes Quarter, possesses special culinary magie. She’s been on her own since her mother, a gifted baker, was executed as a rebel four years ago. Restes residents, even those who are magie-abled, are largely relegated to “undesirable work—sewage, laundry, garbage.” The Objet d’Art Contest to find a successor to the Souverain des Arts Culinaires offers the chance of a seat on the ruling Counseil des Sept. Nikolas Dupont, son of Counseil member Lafontaine, the Souverain des Arts Humains, grew up in the Restes but was taken in by his father after his mother died—though he won’t officially acknowledge their relationship. Lafontaine, who disdains those from the Restes, sets a test: Nik must pose as a Patron to a contestant, “a gullible, willing pawn” Lafontaine can manipulate once they obtain a spot on the Counseil. Nik zeroes in on Elara, who enters under an assumed name; with help from her ex, Fernand Travers, she’s in possession of an invitation to be one of the 20 Favored entrants. The romantic tension between Elara and Nik unfolds against extensive worldbuilding that evokes 19th-century France and a highly unequal, magic-ruled society. The book presents an interesting and complex premise with inventive magic, but the characters’ motives often overshadow their human connections. Main characters present white.
Romance and political drama shape this elaborate and inventive debut. (the seven Sociétés, the four ranks) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 23, 2026
ISBN: 9781250416681
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Henry Holt
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
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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BOOK REVIEW
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