Atmospheric and sharply rendered.
A 17-year-old fights for her place in a world of magic and lies.
Remira Kyler has lived in the Republic of Virdei since her mother died when she was 10. Loyal to her half brother, Luc, the Praeceptor of Virdei, Mira helps him influence the Honorate, an advisory council, to steer decisions in favor of him—and, secretly, Ophera, the neighboring nation she’s from. Scorned by the citizens of Virdei, she’s determined to aid her homeland in the face of deep prejudice. As an aikkari, Mira is gifted with the ability to “alter a person’s perception of the truth—their memories.” Lies fuel her magic, and her power should lead to her military conscription—but she hides her identity while moonlighting as the Shadow Queen, a mysterious figure who blackmails Virdei’s elite. Mira is determined to secure Luc’s rule beyond what should be a single five-year term. That plan unravels when enigmatic newcomer Kaidren Vale sabotages a critical Honorate vote and challenges Luc for the title of Praeceptor. The rivals must face off in the brutal Tournament of Thrones. Although she’s determined to help Luc win, Mira becomes increasingly disillusioned with him and dangerously drawn to Kaidren even as politics, scandals, and lies push Virdei to the brink. Fast-paced and compulsively readable, Burton’s latest, set in a world populated by Black characters, expertly combines strong worldbuilding with political intrigue. Mira and Kaidren are unpredictable and compelling, richly layered leads driven by ambition and conflicting desires.
Atmospheric and sharply rendered. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781547617272
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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 heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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