This tidy conclusion to an ambitious duology should satisfy returning fans.
A conflicted leader confronts tainted magic and a family’s sins in this follow-up to The Beasts We Bury (2024).
After unseating her corrupt father from his position as the Prime, Mancella “Mance” Cliff has spent months wrestling with the burden of leading the Cliff Realm. Unsure of whom to trust and unwilling to burden those she loves, such as the former thief Silver, she utilizes her newly inherited power, which allows her to physically manifest and consult aspects of her character, such as Heart, Poise, and Asset, for counsel. However, a marriage proposal from the Prime of the Forest Realm, along with signs of corrupted magic, pushes Mance to face the part of herself she fears the most—and forces Silver to fight for their love. This installment is light on the backstory and requires readers to be familiar with the first book. Mance’s existing ability to summon and wield the animals she’s killed is secondary to her new powers of multiplicity. The chapters are narrated by Mance, Silver, and Mance’s various personas. While the dark magic is less graphic than in the previous book, this entry does feature body horror. The romance between the white-presenting leads is secondary to Mance’s journey toward self-acceptance. The new characters are well rounded, but the returning supporting characters feel underutilized, and the book overall lacks the emotional depth of the previous volume.
This tidy conclusion to an ambitious duology should satisfy returning fans. (content warning) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
ISBN: 9781250331700
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart.
A surprise inheritance thrusts a small-town Nebraska teen into Manhattan’s elite society—and the orbit of a boy who’s determined to prove she doesn’t belong.
Julia Lowell’s life changes overnight when the 80-something man they know as Lou leaves his fortune to her family instead of his New York City relatives. Lou, who lived in a fishing cabin, was a regular customer of the Lowells’ small grocery store and became a family friend. To inherit, they must live in his Upper West Side home for at least six months, and Julia and her twin brother must attend Gardenwood Academy, a Gossip Girl–esque private school. Julia struggles to navigate her rude, privileged classmates—like Damion Rutledge. Unbeknownst to her, Lou—whose real name was Remington—was Damion’s beloved great-uncle. When a teacher assigns Damion to be Julia’s math tutor, he seizes the opportunity to search Uncle Remi’s house, which he believes is his by right, for evidence of the Lowells’ deceit. But as suspicion gives way to genuine feelings, Julia and Damion, who are cued white, question their assumptions about one another. Painter delivers her signature blend of banter, slow-burn chemistry, and emotionally grounded characters. Told in the leads’ alternating points of view, the familiar enemies-to-lovers setup is complicated by Damion’s secret and Julia’s past heartbreak. While the story follows a predictable path and resolution, the central relationship feels earned and heartfelt.
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart. (soundtrack) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9798347100217
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
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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