A uniquely twisted if unevenly executed dark fantasy duology opener.
Tainted magic and a father’s twisted nature unite an heir and a runaway.
Like royals before her, Mancella entered the Broken Citadel at age 8 and emerged with the magic to summon animals—albeit at a fearsome price. Over the years since, she’s endured the manipulations of her father, the Prime, hoping that her sacrifices as heir apparent can protect others. Silver, a young thief on the run from the Prime’s draconian Academy, strikes a deal with a shadowy figure to secure a better future for himself. Disguised as a servant, he infiltrates the castle grounds with the goal of seducing and double-crossing Mancella. When her father’s demands cross a line, Mancella is drawn to Silver and the rebellious plot he’s a part of, causing both to vacillate between duty and lust. This gruesome book is not for the faint of heart, but those who can stomach Mancella’s brutal acts of violence toward animals (which are balanced by depictions of the emotional toll of these acts) will find elements to relish. Though Silver’s character development is not as robust as Mancella’s, their romance still simmers. This debut’s worldbuilding and lore are ambitiously sketched but ultimately let down by generic language and other missed opportunities for more robust development. The leads’ alternating first-person narration highlights divisions between the social classes in this vaguely European historical setting. Main characters are cued white.
A uniquely twisted if unevenly executed dark fantasy duology opener. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781250331687
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
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
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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