A thrilling series opener that readers will be eager to sink their teeth into.
A new college student discovers that there may be some truth to her hometown’s werewolf legends.
All her life, Mirabella “Mira” Owens has heard the strange tales about Timber Plains, Kansas: Years ago, werewolves came to the small town to defend humans from a horde of vampires. Now 18-year-old Mira, who’s still coping with the mysterious disappearance of her mother five years prior, is beginning her first year of college at a local university. There, she meets Julian Santos, an attractive classmate who harbors an unexplained animosity toward her. Despite his initial coldness, a bond grows between them after Julian miraculously saves Mira from a steep fall in the nearby forest. As the two draw closer, Mira discovers that there’s more to the local stories than she realized—and that she’s stumbled into a magical war that’s brewing with which her own family history is intricately entwined. Though many elements of the story will feel familiar to experienced paranormal romance readers, unexpected twists and complex lore keep the narrative fresh. The pace meanders for much of the book, but the momentum eventually builds to a riveting conclusion that will leave readers invested in the next installment. Mira is Black, Julian is Latine, and there’s additional racial diversity among the supporting cast.
A thrilling series opener that readers will be eager to sink their teeth into. (author’s note) (Paranormal. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032294
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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 heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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