This engaging blend of science fiction and survival may well pique many interests.
When perfectionist, genetically modified teens start dying, surely slacker Kyle can’t be next.
Designed in the Genesis Innovations lab because of their parents’ disease-carrying genes, Kyle, 16, and his older brother, Connor, nearly 18, are technically identical twins. Hoping to provide a relatively safe environment for both twins, Kyle’s parents kept his embryo frozen for two years. Ever since, Kyle’s always been in Connor’s shadow—literally and figuratively. While Connor has been popular for his good looks, athleticism, and intelligence, Kyle has been the underachiever, excelling only at video games. But when Connor dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, just days before his 18th birthday, Kyle takes charge for the first time in this quick-paced thriller. He discovers that not only Connor, but other genetically superior teens, all created by the same mad scientist, have been dying at age 18. Soon Kyle’s quest to understand Connor’s death becomes a harrowing mission to subvert his own. As if contemplating life and death weren’t hard enough, Kyle must also sort through his feelings for longtime pal Cami and the crush he’s had on Connor’s steady girlfriend. Kyle’s present-tense narration ticks along, revealing both his thoughts and the unfolding events with workmanlike efficiency. Twists and turns keep readers guessing on all fronts.
This engaging blend of science fiction and survival may well pique many interests. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-399-17105-5
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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