A winning debut.
In the kingdom of Keirdre, sirens are presumed extinct.
The trouble is that Saoirse is very much a siren—and not only does she live in Keirdre, she regularly gives into her instincts to kill by seducing men marked for death by the Employer, her anonymous boss, using her astounding beauty and entrancing singing. Her earnings supplement her family’s meager income from operating a flour mill under the exploitative rule of the Royals, the all-powerful fae at the top of Keirdre’s social hierarchy. Because Royals hate sirens more than any other creature, she hides in plain sight, disguised as an ikatus, or fae without a magical affinity. No shrinking violet, Saoirse is at the top of her class at graduation and gunning for an esteemed position in the Keirdren military. When she is instead offered a position as a guard to Prince Hayes, she initially rejects the position out of disdain for the Royals, but when Rain, Saoirse’s beloved and vulnerable little sister, receives a threatening letter, Saoirse joins the prince’s guard in hopes that proximity to the Royals will help her identify the blackmailer. Questions pile up, leading Saoirse into a deep web of deceit and intrigue in a thrilling page-turner. Snappy dialogue, unpredictable plot twists, skillful worldbuilding, strong characterization, and steamy, sensual tension between Saoirse and the prince create an immersive tale with an empowering social justice tone centering a predominantly Black and brown cast.
A winning debut. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1037-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lighthearted romance in which love comes to those who speak their minds and stick to their truths.
A strong young woman discovers love where she least expects it.
At 17, Madeline Fisher-Michaels’ only love has been field hockey. With her focus on playing in college, boys have never been a priority. But after she agrees to be a bridesmaid in her brother Austin’s wedding to his fiancée, Katie, everything changes. She allows Katie—whom she doesn’t like but hopes to bond with—and the other bridesmaids to be her matchmakers. Mads navigates complicated, changing feelings toward longtime best friend Connor McCallister and classmate Marco Álvarez, whom she banters and bickers with. With the support of her dads, Mads must work through shifting relationships with family, boys, and even herself. Mads proves to be a strong protagonist: She often speaks her mind and maintains clear boundaries throughout the novel, which is refreshing. She communicates well with her family and serves as an inspirational role model for young women navigating relationships. The complexity of Katie’s characterization is another highlight; her depth and growth balance the lack of substance in the portrayals of other supporting characters. Readers looking for drama and intrigue may be disappointed, but Walther’s strong young women characters truly shine in this quietly entertaining, character-driven tale. Marco is cued Latine in the otherwise largely white cast.
A lighthearted romance in which love comes to those who speak their minds and stick to their truths. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781728263144
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disappointing.
Unlikely friends fight their growing feelings for each other while placing bets on other people’s love lives.
Bailey met Charlie while flying from Alaska, where she grew up, to Nebraska, where she and her mom would be living after her parents’ divorce. Although they briefly bonded over their parents’ divorces, Charlie’s cynicism grated on the rule-following Bailey, and she was thankful to part ways with him. Three years later, to Bailey’s dismay, she runs into Charlie when they both land jobs at Planet Funnn, a mega-hotel that’s “like a giant landlocked cruise ship.” This time around, Bailey and Charlie begin to get along better. To entertain themselves during their long shifts, they observe and make bets about the hotel guests. But they risk taking it too far when they bet on whether their co-worker Theo will end up with Nekesa, Bailey’s best friend, who’s in “a perfect relationship with the perfect guy.” The book explores Bailey’s conflicted feelings toward her mom’s new relationship with Scott (who doesn’t “do anything wrong” but whose presence changes “the vibe” at home), but it does so in a way that diminishes a primary source of conflict. Bailey's and Charlie’s feelings become even more complicated when Charlie helps Bailey with a fake-dating scheme intended to scare Scott off. Some of the banter between the leads, who are coded white, feels more aggressive than playful, detracting from their intimacy, and the circuitous plot may fail to sustain readers’ interest.
Disappointing. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781665921237
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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