A gruesome tale of obsession, obligation, and the power of the truth.
Jonathan Covey’s two best friends, the only other people his age on the tiny Maine island he’s always called home, still don’t know that he won’t be heading off with them to start college in two weeks.
They also have no idea what goes on within the walls of his family’s small cottage on the cliffs of Kelcarrow. Suffocated by his secrets, Jonathan is desperate to escape. He’s captivated by the local legend of Scorpion Deep: an ancient, wish-granting god from the depths of the ocean. Despite his grandfather’s warnings, driven by desperation to change the bleak, lonely future looming before him, Jonathan attempts the bloody ritual to summon the sea god. The repercussions of his reckless act go far beyond anything Jonathan could have expected. The vengeful god in the form of a beautiful boy fiercely protects and adores Jonathan like no one ever has. But the god’s presence forces the island’s buried secrets to the surface, including those surrounding Jonathan’s own family, challenging everything he thought he wanted and believed. This suspenseful story is a true page-turner with its high stakes, brilliant foreshadowing, shocking revelations, and haunting conclusion that will leave readers wanting more. The immersive narrative is enhanced by evocative, poetic prose punctuated by strategically placed flashback scenes and Heidersdorf’s intricate illustrations. Major characters are cued white.
A gruesome tale of obsession, obligation, and the power of the truth. (content warning, sea monster guide) (Horror. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9781250376312
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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
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