A lively romantic superhero story for franchise fans.
Multiple threats force the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to seek help from their worst enemy.
Though there’s plenty of fighting, this duology closer focuses heavily on Yellow Ranger Trini Kwan’s romance with Black Ranger Zack. The MacGuffin is the reality-altering Zeo Crystal, which is hidden on the moon and accessible only to someone who’s “pure of soul.” Lady Lunara, a corrupt version of Trini from an alternate universe, is out to get it. The only way to keep it out of her hands is to enlist aid from fiendishly clever space witch Rita Repulsa, who’s scheming to bring Trini over to the dark side. The premise may not feel robust, but it leads to frequent battles with Rita’s monster minion, Goldar, and his army of Putties, and also to lots of inner conflict and romantic tension that the arrival of more ranger doppelgängers from the alternate universe cranks to a higher pitch. The dialogue and characters are as stylized as the choreographed violence. Narrator Trini sounds younger than her given age of 16, but she expresses mature awareness of her own flaws and respect for Rita as a fellow powerful Asian woman. Ma adds new elements to this revival, which follows the racial and gender casting of the original TV series; Trini says that “watching Kimberly reclaim pink power and Zack reclaim Black power” helps with her “mixed emotions” about being Yellow Ranger and the only Asian team member.
A lively romantic superhero story for franchise fans. (Adventure. 12-14)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781419775833
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel,...
Adventure drags our heroine all over the map of fantasyland while giving her the opportunity to use her smarts.
Elisa—Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle—has been chosen for Service since the day she was born, when a beam of holy light put a Godstone in her navel. She's a devout reader of holy books and is well-versed in the military strategy text Belleza Guerra, but she has been kept in ignorance of world affairs. With no warning, this fat, self-loathing princess is married off to a distant king and is embroiled in political and spiritual intrigue. War is coming, and perhaps only Elisa's Godstone—and knowledge from the Belleza Guerra—can save them. Elisa uses her untried strategic knowledge to always-good effect. With a character so smart that she doesn't have much to learn, body size is stereotypically substituted for character development. Elisa’s "mountainous" body shrivels away when she spends a month on forced march eating rat, and thus she is a better person. Still, it's wonderfully refreshing to see a heroine using her brain to win a war rather than strapping on a sword and charging into battle.
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel, reminiscent of Naomi Kritzer's Fires of the Faithful (2002), keeps this entry fresh. (Fantasy. 12-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-202648-4
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
This is no didactic near-future warning of present evils, but a cinematic adventure featuring endearing, compelling heroes
A gripping thriller in dystopic future Los Angeles.
Fifteen-year-olds June and Day live completely different lives in the glorious Republic. June is rich and brilliant, the only candidate ever to get a perfect score in the Trials, and is destined for a glowing career in the military. She looks forward to the day when she can join up and fight the Republic’s treacherous enemies east of the Dakotas. Day, on the other hand, is an anonymous street rat, a slum child who failed his own Trial. He's also the Republic's most wanted criminal, prone to stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. When tragedies strike both their families, the two brilliant teens are thrown into direct opposition. In alternating first-person narratives, Day and June experience coming-of-age adventures in the midst of spying, theft and daredevil combat. Their voices are distinct and richly drawn, from Day’s self-deprecating affection for others to June's Holmesian attention to detail. All the flavor of a post-apocalyptic setting—plagues, class warfare, maniacal soldiers—escalates to greater complexity while leaving space for further worldbuilding in the sequel.
This is no didactic near-future warning of present evils, but a cinematic adventure featuring endearing, compelling heroes . (Science fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25675-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2026 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.
