An original and creative YA tale with a likable lead.
A coming-of-age novel with elements of romance, SF, and fantasy, set in a royal court.
In the fantastical world of Geniverd, a king and queen are chosen every 40 years by the “Crown of Crowns,” a bird that comes down from the heavens to select the rulers most worthy of the titles by landing on their heads. Teenage Kaelyn never really concerned herself with the possibility of becoming royalty; her mother and father are the leaders of their clan, the Gaard, but it’s been many years since a ruler was chosen from their family line. She mostly occupies her time with Roki, a teenage boy from her city who shows her what happens outside of her family estate. But after her mother’s death and Roki’s disappearance, Kaelyn feels like she has to grow up fast. She runs a charitable foundation in honor of her mother, spending her time doing good works in Geniverd. Shortly after turning 18, Kaelyn becomes engaged to a prince, and two godly beings tell her in a dream that she’ll be crowned the next queen of Geniverd. If that wasn’t stressful enough, Roki returns to her as a powerful spirit. Over the course of this novel, Loveman spins a futuristic fantasy tale that approaches some classic princess-story tropes in unexpected ways. The book begins with some awkwardly quick pacing, apparently in an effort to cover as much of Kaelyn’s backstory as possible before her 18th birthday. After that, however, the pace evens out and the story effectively finds its flow. Kaelyn is a main character whom readers will easily be able to root for; she has an admirably strong sense of her own beliefs and an appealing need to do what’s right for the people around her.
An original and creative YA tale with a likable lead.Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-83806-234-7
Page Count: 270
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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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