A dreamlike and hazy but sharply memorable tale.
In Rose’s YA fantasy novel, the lives of a goddess from ancient Greece and a high school senior intertwine in the space between sleep and waking.
The goddess Lethe is Morpheus’ sister as well as the personification of oblivion. She’s always given humans anything they wanted “as long as it helped them think less, feel less, want less.” However, her dominion now stands empty, her realm rarely visited until very recently, when the sleeping soul of a teenage boy crosses over into it and keeps coming back. She wonders if he can stay forever. The boy, Owen Butler, is having a tough time; he’s spending his summer before senior year attending remedial classes while suffering the pain of unrequited love for another boy at school and worrying about an art project. Lately, he has been feeling bone-tired, his mind confused and foggy, and when he falls asleep, he visits a mysterious woman on the banks of a river; near her, he finds no pain or disappointment—only quiet. Rose’s story takes readers on a journey that mixes Greek mythology and fantasy elements, infusing both with themes that relate to memory, trauma, and fear: “Most humans spend their whole lives hiding from their pain, from their fear, from the parts of themselves they don’t want to know.” It’s an intriguing tale made even more interesting by how Owen, as a character, is often blurry and undefined—a deft twist of characterization that matches his narrative development, as every time he visits Lethe, he leaves something of himself behind. However, Owen also has a close-knit family, good friends, and a love for art that helps him find footing back in the waking world; as the story progresses, his growth leads to a satisfying ending. Secondary characters are also well sketched, and Owen’s artwork offers a fun nod to the imagery of tarot cards.
A dreamlike and hazy but sharply memorable tale.Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73390-799-6
Page Count: 325
Publisher: Imperative Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring.
When Death-Cast doesn’t call, fate intertwines the lives of two boys, both haunted by their pasts and with futures they can’t escape.
In this third installment of the series that opened with 2017’s They Both Die at the End, Paz Dario waits every night for Death-Cast to call—as it should have for his father nearly 10 years ago, when Paz shot him to save his mother’s life. But the call never comes. Death-Cast killed Paz’s dreams of an acting career: No one will hire him now because the world sees him as a villain. When Paz tries (not for the first time) to put an end to his suffering, an unexpected encounter with Alano Rosa, the heir of Death-Cast, stops him. Both in a place of desperation, Alano and Paz sign a contract to live for Begin Days instead of waiting for their End Days. As suspenseful and emotionally wrenching as the previous titles in the series, this new installment explores heavy themes of abuse, mental health, self-harm, and suicide. Paz grapples with a recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Silvera surrounds Alano and Paz with a web of complex relationships. Although the protagonists fall fast for one another and form a deep connection over Alano’s desire to support Paz, Silvera emphasizes the importance of professional help. Both Alano and Paz have Puerto Rican heritage. The cliffhanger ending promises more to come.
Raw, delicate, and deeply caring. (content warning, resources) (Speculative fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780063240858
Page Count: 720
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
An inspiring, powerful tale of belonging.
The follow-up to Lobizona (2020) sees its protagonist’s fight for equality and acceptance reach new heights.
After the events of the first book, Manu and her friends flee their magical school and are on the run to avoid the Cazadores who aim to capture anyone who doesn’t conform to the stringent gender binary laws of their world. Manu, as the first ever known female werewolf and a Septimus/human hybrid to boot, could lose her life if she’s discovered. Illegal in both worlds, Manu’s only chance is to find the Coven, a legendary underground movement of outcasts who she hopes will welcome them with open arms. Once she meets the people of the Coven, Manu encounters a world full of Septimus who are willing to risk anything for change. But how far is Manu willing to go? In this effervescent sequel full of magic and beautiful imagery, Manu learns to reclaim her own narrative and, together with her lovable found family, including misfits Saysa and Cata as well as boyfriend Tiago, stake out a place in the world where she belongs. Refreshingly, Manu and her friends are not presented as uniquely positioned to change the world: They join a multigenerational, ongoing fight against oppression that aims to give voice to the nonconforming voiceless. All characters are Argentine, with a variety of skin tones, gender identities, and sexualities.
An inspiring, powerful tale of belonging. (Paranormal. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-23915-0
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
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