The third in the Elemental series largely turns from the charismatic Merricks to the problems of Hunter, a spirit elemental who was introduced in the first title, Storm (2012).
Hunter is now being booted from his home by an angry grandfather who seems to be protecting his passive mother, lost in grief at the death of her husband, Hunter’s father. At school, Hunter develops an attraction to newcomer Kate, another spirit elemental (Kemmerer’s mythos includes an extra element), which leads to many descriptions of kissing. And tension: Kate is apprenticed to yet another spirit elemental, who is out to kill the Merrick brothers. While it’s refreshing to have the paranormal action mostly taking a back seat to more human teen concerns, genre readers will be disappointed at the flat denouement. Unless, of course, they are attached enough to the elemental Merrick boys from the first two books to want to just hang out in their parallel universe. It’s rather odd that Hunter never seems to use his powers and equally odd that Kemmerer appends a short, “bonus” novella to the end of the book that is all about Nick, an air elemental who recognizes that he is actually gay and not ever going to grow into an attraction to girls.
For dedicated series fans only. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)Pub Date: June 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7582-7283-6
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: April 10, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The Grisha Trilogy turns from bildungsroman to political thriller in its second installment.
Sun Summoner Alina and former Ravkan army tracker Mal, once her childhood friend and now her would-be love, are on the run. All they want is to put Ravka and the megalomaniacal Darkling far behind them. Alas, this is not to be. Captured by the Darkling and forced onto a ship captained by the notorious pirate Sturmhond, they find themselves in pursuit of the second of three magical amplifiers that will make Alina powerful beyond belief—and bind her ever-closer to the ancient, evil Darkling. Sturmhond has an unexpected agenda of his own, though, and turns on the Darkling. Darkling temporarily thwarted, Alina and Mal find themselves back in Ravka’s capital as part of the ailing king’s younger son’s attempt to find his way to the throne. Bardugo’s sophomore effort smooths out many of the rookie wrinkles that marred Shadow and Bone (2012); Alina’s wry voice does not interfere with worldbuilding, instead keeping readers immersed in the plot. Characters are rich and complex, particularly the Peter the Great–like younger prince and Alina herself, beset by competing claims and desires. Is she Mal’s lover? Prince Nikolai’s pawn? Commander of the Grisha Second Army? Saint?
Scheming and action carry readers at a breathless pace to an end that may surprise them and will definitely leave them panting for the series’ conclusion . (Fantasy. 13 & up)Pub Date: June 11, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9460-2
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 20, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY
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Adolescent criminals seek the haul of a lifetime in a fantasyland at the beginning of its industrial age.
The dangerous city of Ketterdam is governed by the Merchant Council, but in reality, large sectors of the city are given over to gangs who run the gambling dens and brothels. The underworld's rising star is 17-year-old Kaz Brekker, known as Dirtyhands for his brutal amorality. Kaz walks with chronic pain from an old injury, but that doesn't stop him from utterly destroying any rivals. When a councilman offers him an unimaginable reward to rescue a kidnapped foreign chemist—30 million kruge!—Kaz knows just the team he needs to assemble. There's Inej, an itinerant acrobat captured by slavers and sold to a brothel, now a spy for Kaz; the Grisha Nina, with the magical ability to calm and heal; Matthias the zealot, hunter of Grishas and caught in a hopeless spiral of love and vengeance with Nina; Wylan, the privileged boy with an engineer's skills; and Jesper, a sharpshooter who keeps flirting with Wylan. Bardugo broadens the universe she created in the Grisha Trilogy, sending her protagonists around countries that resemble post-Renaissance northern Europe, where technology develops in concert with the magic that's both coveted and despised. It’s a highly successful venture, leaving enough open questions to cause readers to eagerly await Volume 2.
Cracking page-turner with a multiethnic band of misfits with differing sexual orientations who satisfyingly, believably jell into a family . (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-62779-212-7
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
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