A fast-paced and feisty tale, perfect for anyone who’s ever had a book boyfriend.
In this YA novel, a bookish teen embarks on a magical journey she’s previously only read about.
Edena “Edie” Allegra Keller is a superfan of fantasy novels, especially the bestselling The Traveler Chronicles series. For the teen, books provide the only consistency and sense of belonging in a life where her single mother moves them around after a violent incident perpetuated by Edie’s loving, schizophrenic father, who is now in a full-time care facility. Everything changes when Edie’s mother’s nursing job takes the two to Austin, Texas, which has a bookstore with an original Traveler Chronicles review copy. The work may contain clues as to why the last volume ended with hero—and Edie’s “book boyfriend”—Kane the Traveler’s unfortunate demise. When Edie visits the store that houses the manuscript, she’s thrust into the parallel dimension of the Traveler series, which isn’t actually fiction at all. But the books’ author was incorrect regarding many major and minor details, including Kane himself, who instead of a reluctant but noble changeling-turned-savior is a snarky antihero who refers to Edie as “Cupcake” (the image on her food-truck T-shirt). The two set out on a journey that reflects the series in cementing the hero’s royal destiny. Edie must reckon with every skill she possesses in a world that’s both familiar and full of surprises while learning long-held secrets about her hardworking mother and long-lost father—and fighting her attraction to Kane. YA and romance author McKay’s modern feminist take on the classic chosen-one narrative has a spunky, relatable heroine in Edie, who holds a black belt in taekwondo but can’t quite stand up to mean girl bullies in her new high school. Edie discovers her inner and outer strengths in the world of Kane and her favorite characters. Both Edie and Kane have conceivable, realistic character arcs in the fantastical setting, and their quippy banter is a highlight. Readers will find romantic escapism in the lovingly conceived world of Edie’s beloved books.
A fast-paced and feisty tale, perfect for anyone who’s ever had a book boyfriend.Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64063-656-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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