A brisk, lively adventure that’s likely to appeal to SF and fantasy fans.
Four alien teenagers go on a quest that no one else has survived in more than 6,000 years in Miller’s YA SF/fantasy sequel.
There’s something unusual about 16-year-old twin siblings Cynthia Summers and Kaden Krossway. Cynthia is a tall, Black girl with silver hair and eyes, and Kaden is a white boy with brown hair and eyes; both have superpowers called magikas that had manifested on their birthday three months before. Cynthia’s include the power to manipulate air, and Kaden can summon “Devil’s Fire.” They were born on another planet, but now live in Alexandria, Virginia, where they’re supposed to be safe from Iblis Arrayal, who’s drawn to their powers for unknown reasons and wants to track them down. On orientation day at school, the teens connect with their good friend Alec Mulsiver from the planet Exetros, and Sorra Arrayal, the granddaughter of Iblis. Suspicious of Sorra’s sudden arrival, Cynthia initially believes her to be a spy, but after the two girls team up to fight off a surprise magical attacker,the four friends join together to go on the Quest of Six Waters—a dangerous treasure hunt that will help them find the missing Lil of Lurkur; she’s a powerful witch who protects the Lurkur Woods, which house the power source for all magikas. Meanwhile, the threat of magikal-enhanced pirates hangs over the proceedings. Miller employs quite a large cast of characters, which only grows as the narrative goes on, but he succeeds in creating an atmosphere that never feels too dense or overly complex. Events proceed at a quick pace, which makes for a mostly easy read, though some scenes feature a large amount of exposition about various elements of the fictional world (“Eternes, they had learned from the Lil herself, were objects that came directly from sacrosites and significantly enhanced a person’s magikas”), which may require a second glance. This series entry works well as a standalone, but the suspenseful ending offers more questions than answers and will no doubt leave readers looking forward to the next book in the series.
A brisk, lively adventure that’s likely to appeal to SF and fantasy fans.Pub Date: April 20, 2023
ISBN: 979-8391933359
Page Count: 441
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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