A sucker punch of escalating evil, sizzling romance, and a spitfire coming into her own.
Ruby embarks on a quest to learn how to stop the murderous Minax, risking her life and her love.
In the wake of the destruction of the throne of Fors, Arcus has become king and Ruby remains in the castle, unsure of their future. Save a few friends, the Frostblood court greets her with disdain; she’s a filthy enemy—a Fireblood. She and Brother Thistle pass the time combing the library for clues about stopping the Minax while it roams free, possessing unwitting victims. At a royal ball, pale-skinned Ruby is shocked to meet another Fireblood. She learns the ginger-haired, olive-skinned stranger has come to offer her passage to the homeland of the Firebloods that she’s never seen—Sudesia. Not only will she be trained by Fireblood masters, she’ll hunt for the book that holds the key to destroying the Minax. Arcus urges her not to trust the stranger, and her departure creates a rift between them. Ruby reckons with more than she bargained for along her quest—uncovering secrets of her past and fighting their implications to become who she chooses to be. Brimming with new adventures, Ruby’s story shimmers and expands as she grapples with forces pushing her to obey. A new romantic interest sizzles and evil forces conspire, making for a thrilling romp through an engrossing world.
A sucker punch of escalating evil, sizzling romance, and a spitfire coming into her own. (Fantasy. 13-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-27332-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
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 troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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