A thrilling and promising second series entry.
Old flames reunite to unravel a saint’s prophecy in this sultry, explosive sequel.
Three months after the events of The Dagger and the Flame (2024), Seraphine Marchant and her friends are secreted away in the countryside, where they’re establishing the Order of Flames. Sera is fearful of the saint-imparted powers that call to her. Her estranged lover, Ransom, has taken over leadership of the rival Order of Daggers, which uses the power of Shade magic to bend shadows to the murderous whim of the highest bidder. With growing unrest directed against the corrupt king and rumors of others imbued with powers like Sera’s, the king brings the rivals together to seek out those with saintly magic and help determine the future of Valterre—and being thrown together rekindles their love. Doyle develops her rich worldbuilding as the adventure moves beyond the city walls, and the blending of prophecy and divination with a dash of dark academia deepens the fantasy lore. Action sequences and well-timed reveals keep the pace brisk and pages turning with an extensive body count that will challenge the squeamish. The enriched character development infuses the steamy romance with maturity and sincerity. While the dialogue is stronger in this entry, the heavy reliance on expletives feels like a substitute for creative word choices. The conclusion positions the story for a sequel. Most characters are cued white.
A thrilling and promising second series entry. (map, character list) (Fantasy. 16-adult)Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665955140
Page Count: 528
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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