A sweeping duology opener that’s hindered by structural inconsistencies.
Two rebels. One crown. A world the Angrezian Empire is bleeding dry.
In occupied Astola, dark-skinned Yaseema works for the Citadel—the colonial power that excavates fae relics and drains her homeland’s life magic while outlawing traditional burial rites in favor of cremation. By night, she uses her rare magical abilities to find stolen artifacts and rebury them, returning vitality to the land. When a former colleague dies and she discovers a golden key hanging from his wrist, Yaseema races to unlock the ancient fae queen Azari’s Golden Vault, seeking a relic that offers a way across the River to the fae lands, so she can retrieve the crown that can save her people. Across the River, Kiyan—dark-skinned, silver-haired fae Prince of the River Court—hunts rebels for the ruling Court of Salt while secretly leading the Red Jasmine Rebellion. Hoping to free his family, he’s seeking the same crown. As their quests converge, an impossible attraction ignites. The novel draws from Pakistani culture, and the colonial structure maps onto the British Raj. The parallel oppressions—Yaseema’s colonial subjugation and Kiyan’s courtly enslavement—are the novel’s strongest elements. Yaseema’s early chapters repeat narrative beats before gaining momentum, while Kiyan’s arc, which is often confined to introspection, stalls the urgency his position promises. The magic system proves elastic, occasionally bending to plot convenience with rules asserted as needed.
A sweeping duology opener that’s hindered by structural inconsistencies. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 30, 2026
ISBN: 9781250878694
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
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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