All hail this royal debut that twists, turns, and revels in palace intrigue and deceit.
When James’ father dies, it’s only the beginning of the troubles for the teen who would be king.
At 17, the full weight of the crown now sits on the shoulders of James Albert Arthur Hampton, the United Kingdom’s first Black monarch. James wars with feelings of being inadequate beside Eddie, his more likable brother, or less suited for the throne compared to Cassandra, his White cousin who’s next in line. There’s also the matter of his first, secret, love, Jonathan Kent, an 18-year-old Black palace intern. James reflects, “The world could barely cope with a Black king—they’d lose their heads if they knew he was gay too.” When Jonathan disappears and the Daily Eye, a tabloid whose journalists closely mirror those writing for real British newspapers, begins running stories that reveal the royal family’s darkest secrets, it’s up to James to face their virulent actions and try to unravel betrayals that threaten his family’s safety and well-being. James’ progression as he grows in understanding whom he should trust within his innermost circle provides tumultuous internal and external conflict that is impossible to turn away from—especially when the potentially lethal impact of racism is succinctly and sadly presented as part of the overwhelming challenges unique to his role.
All hail this royal debut that twists, turns, and revels in palace intrigue and deceit. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9780316519144
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
PROFILES
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 worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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