An appealing story for readers interested in fantasy and myth.
A fantasy set in a magical version of ancient Iceland.
Runa is an apprentice runecaster who is assigned by fate to follow her beloved sister, Sýr, in a perilous journey to refresh the powers of the magical moonstone in the sacred moonwater pool during the red moon’s eclipse. At first it seems that everything is against Runa. She has eye problems, suffers from apparent panic attacks which impede her actions, and hates runecasting. When Runa’s village is attacked and set on fire by enemy Jötnar warriors under the influence of the evil sorceress Katla, who kidnaps Sýr, Runa is forced to take on the mission to rescue her sister and recharge the moonstone. In the process, Runa combats insecurity and loneliness and discovers her own strength. She forms an unlikely alliance with Einar, who is half human/half elf, and Oski, a damaged Valkyrie who is referred to as “they.” The trio moves through space and time to conquer evil and restore life and order to Runa’s community. The ending hints at a sequel. Carter (The Unbroken Hearts Club, 2019, etc.) acknowledges her Icelandic grandmother as the inspiration for this story. Runa has white hair and pale skin; her sister has dark hair and brown skin (signaling elven heritage). This fast-paced, engaging narrative with succinct, sometimes funny dialogue will be particularly validating for girls who may have insecurities about their own strengths.
An appealing story for readers interested in fantasy and myth. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2439-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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