A robust plot and worldbuilding makes for an engaging, atmospheric read.
The residents of Weymouth Island have a secret.
Hidden off the coast of Nova Scotia, their island is a gateway between the living and the dead. Roughly every decade, the Storm comes, bringing the dead up from the ocean. They’re drawn to the foundation stones of each of the eleven houses of the island’s families: Cabot, Beuvry, McLeod, Gillis, Nickerson, Pope, Pelletier, Des Roches, Bodhmall, Grimes, and Mintus. The dead attempt to reach the mainland, but the family members prepare by laying traps. Seventeen-year-old Mabel Beuvry knows the Storm’s danger; the last one killed her father. Her mother turned to alcohol, and her younger sister became agoraphobic. Now, Mabel and her House Guardian, Jeff, care for their estate. The arrival of Miles Cabot is a bright spot—he and Mabel feel an instant, almost mystical, connection. But the island’s inhabitants fear their attachment, blaming Miles for changes they sense, and rumors swirl of an impending Great Storm. Oakes’ swoony, gothic tale blending elements of White Walkers and The Fog features an original history that vividly breathes life into Weymouth. Historical journal entries explain the island’s rituals and beliefs, and a surprise twist and action-packed fight scenes against the dead keep the suspense alive. Most characters are white, the Nickersons are the island’s only Black family, and Miles is described as having generically “Asian heritage.”
A robust plot and worldbuilding makes for an engaging, atmospheric read. (map, list of Storm years, list of houses) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781665952583
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
