Intoxicatingly satisfying.
A warrior embraces the shadows in this follow-up to The Forest King’s Daughter (2025).
Thea, King Silvanus’ fierce daughter, trains hard as a Sylvan Huntsman, employing her quick blade to protect Thirstwood and its forest folk. An uneasy truce between the Sylvans and their former enemies, the Dracu, allows a sliver of peace to settle over the woods while the Huntsmen quell any lingering threats. But more danger looms. Figments of silver trees begin to crop up in Thirstwood, as if seeping through cracks in the realms. Moreover, foreboding, magic-touched dresses start appearing at Thea’s hearth each night, luring the young warrior, who has wavy brown hair and has lost some of her “summer tan,” to wear them. And then there’s Damon, the mysterious, handsome, pale young man who’s cloaked in shadows; he promises answers to all Thea’s worries, including the reasons behind her mother’s disappearance years ago. To save her beloved Thirstwood and uncover the truth, Thea must plunge into the Forgotten Realm of Iluna to confront the shadow king, Erebus, even as she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the charming shadow prince. Like the series opener, this volume smolders thanks to the unlikely pairing of Thea and Damon and the ebbs and flows of their nuanced romance. Still, Thirstwood provides a much more alluring promise, with its unstable hierarchy of magical folk and their ever-evolving relations to one another. The tight pace and intriguing ending strengthen this engrossing tale.
Intoxicatingly satisfying. (map) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
ISBN: 9780316396028
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart.
A surprise inheritance thrusts a small-town Nebraska teen into Manhattan’s elite society—and the orbit of a boy who’s determined to prove she doesn’t belong.
Julia Lowell’s life changes overnight when the 80-something man they know as Lou leaves his fortune to her family instead of his New York City relatives. Lou, who lived in a fishing cabin, was a regular customer of the Lowells’ small grocery store and became a family friend. To inherit, they must live in his Upper West Side home for at least six months, and Julia and her twin brother must attend Gardenwood Academy, a Gossip Girl–esque private school. Julia struggles to navigate her rude, privileged classmates—like Damion Rutledge. Unbeknownst to her, Lou—whose real name was Remington—was Damion’s beloved great-uncle. When a teacher assigns Damion to be Julia’s math tutor, he seizes the opportunity to search Uncle Remi’s house, which he believes is his by right, for evidence of the Lowells’ deceit. But as suspicion gives way to genuine feelings, Julia and Damion, who are cued white, question their assumptions about one another. Painter delivers her signature blend of banter, slow-burn chemistry, and emotionally grounded characters. Told in the leads’ alternating points of view, the familiar enemies-to-lovers setup is complicated by Damion’s secret and Julia’s past heartbreak. While the story follows a predictable path and resolution, the central relationship feels earned and heartfelt.
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart. (soundtrack) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9798347100217
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
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
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