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
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 worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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