A heartfelt romance with emotionally intelligent characters that focuses on the power of community and connection.
Two teenagers face challenges at the start of 12th grade.
Sabrina is focusing on what she can control, like making the seniors’ last year together at Hamilton Lakes High one to remember through her work on the Spirit Committee. Tyler, on the other hand, is grateful to have another opportunity to play football after transferring to Hamilton Lakes his senior year. Determined to fulfill her “Spirit Committee duty,” Sabrina reaches out to welcome Tyler to his new school, which leads to a mutually beneficial agreement to go to homecoming together “just as friends” (they’re both trying to evade unwanted romantic interests). Their friendship grows, and they support each other through Sabrina’s feelings about her parents’ recent divorce and Tyler’s fear that regrettable past behavior will negatively affect his future prospects. This heartwarming friends-to-lovers narrative has characters who will capture readers’ hearts and minds with their depth and intriguing backstories. The white-presenting leads’ alternating narration allows events to unfold through delightful banter and romantic tension that emphasizes the importance of strong communication. By leaning on each other and their teammates, Sabrina and Tyler show that you don’t have to do things on your own. This stand-alone companion to Heart Check (2025) maintains all the spirit and sincerity of the earlier entry without feeling formulaic or repetitive.
A heartfelt romance with emotionally intelligent characters that focuses on the power of community and connection. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781665985383
Page Count: 304
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
Somberly beautiful.
A girl goes in search of her missing sister and discovers a strange hidden world of dreams.
Corin, who’s 18 and dark-skinned, strives to protect her 12-year-old sister, Elly. But life as a thief is full of struggle, poverty, and loss, even without Corin’s avoidance of other relationships. Elly clings to the promise of fairy tales, like the one that says a princess lies sleeping in an underground castle after pricking her finger on a spindle. After the sisters fight and Elly runs off, Corin searches for her in Gyldan’s old network of tunnels—and finds the tale is true: Cursed Princess Amelia, golden-haired, with eyes like “sea glass” and porcelain skin, lies asleep, surrounded by flowers. Corin enters the princess’ dreamworld—the place “where your subconscious desires come to life.” She meets Briar Rose, Amelia’s alter ego, who experienced her share of sadness and wanted to fall asleep. Also in the dreamworld is green-skinned Malicine, the nonbinary demon who, despite having placed the curse of eternal slumber on Amelia, is mostly friendly. All three are running from things they can’t face, though the dreamworld may not give them a choice. Pham’s debut, a Sapphic reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty,” explores mental health and asks a lot of readers as it seesaws between emotional confrontations, time jumps, and scenes where one character inhabits the memories of another, all of which demand intense engagement. Still, the ending is earned as well as positive.
Somberly beautiful. (content note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
ISBN: 9798217113026
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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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