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 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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