A sweet, heartfelt romance that thoughtfully explores identity and belonging.
An aspiring music journalist falls for the teen pop star she’s trying to dig up dirt on.
When 17-year-old Sasha saves pop star Rotten from the paparazzi in a chance meet-cute in Los Angeles, the magazine where she’s interning dangles the possibility of earning a college scholarship—making dreams of higher education attainable for this daughter of Brazilian immigrants—if she dates the rocker and comes up with an exclusive story about him. But pansexual Sasha realizes that Rotten, whose real name is Daniel, isn’t the bad boy the media has labeled him. Far from being the player described in tabloids, Daniel is demisexual and hasn’t even experienced his first kiss yet. He was the last to join the close-knit band that propelled him to sudden stardom and suffers from imposter syndrome. Born and raised in Brazil, Daniel also feels like an outsider as he adjusts to the challenges of life in the public eye and in the U.S. Mistaken first impressions beleaguer Daniel and Sasha’s relationship from the start, but their character arcs are skillfully and compassionately developed. A quick-paced plot and fluid prose make for an enjoyable read as the teens muddle through a blooming romance complicated by ulterior motives and Daniel’s celebrity status. As they grow closer, Sasha and Daniel also meaningfully engage in introspection about their sexuality and heritage, including issues relating to the diaspora and colorism.
A sweet, heartfelt romance that thoughtfully explores identity and belonging. (author’s note) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-48344-2
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Underlined
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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