This nuanced sequel offers new perspectives and emphasizes the value and complexity of both sibling and romantic...
A group of young people forge unexpected bonds that are tested when they must choose between love and duty.
The enchantress’s curse has been broken, but no happily-ever-after awaits Princess Harper and Prince Rhen; Rhen struggles with severe PTSD while rumors spread of an heir with magical abilities, weakening his claim to the throne. While the queen of Syhl Shallow regroups after a failed invasion, her elder daughter, 18-year-old Lia Mara, makes a doomed attempt to negotiate peace with Rhen. Meanwhile, Rhen’s former guard commander, Grey, has been captured and questioned about his knowledge of the mysterious heir. When Rhen’s conditioned fear of magic leads him to do the unthinkable, Lia Mara helps Grey escape. Their journey, told through alternating first-person perspectives, provides a Cook’s tour of both countries, prompting thoughtful consideration of their distinct social and cultural traditions—and just enough time for romance to blossom. Like Harper in A Curse So Dark and Lonely (2019), Lia Mara proves herself the undisputed hero right up to the stunning conclusion. This sweeping, romantic epic repeatedly turns the tables on the fantasy tropes that readers might be expecting. Apart from Harper’s brother’s boyfriend, who is black, the majority of characters appear to be white; Harper has cerebral palsy.
This nuanced sequel offers new perspectives and emphasizes the value and complexity of both sibling and romantic relationships. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68119-511-7
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
