A promising debut about a missing uncle and ancient stones that delivers appealing characters and an intriguing combination...
After seeing what appears to be a Viking ghost, a teenage girl becomes obsessed with unraveling the mystery in this YA sci-fi adventure.
A year ago, not long after her Uncle Alistair vanished, Sonia Greene—called “Red” in homage to the comic-book/movie character Red Sonja—saw an apparition in the window of his mansion that looked to her like a warrior: “Wild, reckless, and…hot.” Now, with vandals targeting Alistair’s empty house, 16-year-old Red and her family are moving in. With all the usual teenage insecurities about her looks as well as having ADHD, Red worries about fitting in at her new school but soon makes friends. In her uncle’s office, she finds a photo of Alistair with two of his students; one, Erik Wolfeningen, also disappeared—and greatly resembles her ghostly warrior. She’s unsettled when Roy, the other student, starts following her, and even more so when her kindly neighbor Mrs. Catsworthy shares her concern that he might be possessed. Erik turns out to be alive, and as drawn to Red as she is to him. He now exists in a transformed state following an incident involving his graduate work, ancient stones, and a dangerous cult. Erik and Red will need to work together to bridge the gap between their worlds, retrieve the stones, and save Alistair, all while avoiding the dangers amassed against them. In her debut novel, Reed weaves together physics, angels, demons, and teenage romance with skill and verve. Her portrait of Red and her family shows an affectionate appreciation for the quirky, and she provides precise psychological insights, such as the link between Red’s disorder and her younger sister’s bossiness. Erik’s attractiveness isn’t just about his good looks, but also his kindness and intelligence. Exploring the stones’ properties also lets Red and Erik have magical experiences, like flying through the air together. The story moves well, with thrills, suspense, and passion, and concludes satisfyingly but with enough issues left unexplored to whet appetites for further adventures.
A promising debut about a missing uncle and ancient stones that delivers appealing characters and an intriguing combination of science and mysticism.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-63505-147-6
Page Count: -
Publisher: Dog Ear Publisher
Review Posted Online: Jan. 23, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing.
For the second time in her life, Leo must choose between her family and true love.
Nineteen-year-old Princess Leonie Kolburg’s royal family is bankrupt. In order to salvage the fortune they accrued before humans fled the frozen Earth 170 years ago, Leonie’s father is forcing her to participate in the Valg Season, an elaborate set of matchmaking events held to facilitate the marriages of rich and royal teens. Leo grudgingly joins in even though she has other ideas: She’s invented a water filtration system that, if patented, could provide a steady income—that is if Leo’s calculating Aunt Freja, the Captain of the ship hosting the festivities, stops blocking her at every turn. Just as Leo is about to give up hope, her long-lost love, Elliot, suddenly appears onboard three years after Leo’s family forced her to break off their engagement. Donne (Brightly Burning, 2018) returns to space, this time examining the fascinatingly twisted world of the rich and famous. Leo and her peers are nuanced, deeply felt, and diverse in terms of sexuality but not race, which may be a function of the realities of wealth and power. The plot is fast paced although somewhat uneven: Most of the action resolves in the last quarter of the book, which makes the resolutions to drawn-out conflicts feel rushed.
A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing. (Science fiction. 16-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-328-94894-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
A very full mixed bag.
In the sequel to Furyborn (2018), Rielle and Eliana struggle across time with their powers and prophesied destinies.
Giving readers only brief recaps, this book throws them right into complicated storylines in this large, lovingly detailed fantasy world filled with multiple countries, two different time periods, and hostile angels. Newly ordained Rielle contends with villainous Corien’s interest in her, the weakening gate that holds the angels at bay, and distrust from those who don’t believe her to be the Sun Queen. A thousand years in the future, Eliana chafes under her unwanted destiny and finds her fear of losing herself to her powers (like the Blood Queen) warring with her need to save those close to her. The rigid alternation between time-separated storylines initially feels overstuffed, undermining tension, but once more characters get point-of-view chapters and parallels start paying off, the pace picks up. The multiethnic cast (human versus angelic is the only divide with weight) includes characters of many sexual orientations, and their romantic storylines include love triangles, casual dalliances, steady couples, and couples willing to invite in a third. While many of the physically intimate scenes are loving, some are rougher, including ones that cross lines of clear consent and introduce a level of violence that many young readers will not be ready for. The ending brings heartbreaking twists to prime readers for the trilogy’s conclusion.
A very full mixed bag. (map, list of elements) (Fantasy. 17-adult)Pub Date: May 21, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-5665-4
Page Count: 608
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 19, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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