Tenley’s joined Troika, but Myriad’s not out of tricks, and the war between the afterlives is far from over.
After Firstlife (2016), Tenley (fair-skinned, with vague “Native American” heritage) is dead at Myriad’s hands, but the battle rages as she wakes to her Troikan Everlife. This puts Irish-accented, bronze-skinned Killian in the awkward position of defending himself by killing attacking Troikans while protecting Tenley by killing his fellows in Myriad. By the time the Troikans get Tenley to safety in their realm, the casualty count is high enough that she doesn’t receive the warmest of receptions—people are concerned she’s more loyal to Killian than to her own people. Tenley hardly has enough time to grieve her losses before Gen. Levi sends her through her paces, as they need to get her to her full potential as a light-generating Conduit as quickly as possible. Myriad has managed to infect a human, biracial black/white Dior, with Penumbra, an almost mythical plague said to create an Abrogate (the Myriad equivalent of Conduit)—and only Tenley can help Dior. Despite Tenley’s thoughtfully expository narration, readers who skipped the first title are likely to be hopelessly lost. Returning readers will find that the chessboard-strategy maneuvers and star-crossed romance are satisfyingly bolstered by themes of forgiveness and personal responsibility.
Tense, philosophical, and enthralling. (Fantasy. 13 & up)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-373-21219-4
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
Categories: TEEN FICTION | TEEN SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | TEEN ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
This story is necessary. This story is important.
GET IT
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter is a black girl and an expert at navigating the two worlds she exists in: one at Garden Heights, her black neighborhood, and the other at Williamson Prep, her suburban, mostly white high school.
Walking the line between the two becomes immensely harder when Starr is present at the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, by a white police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Khalil’s death becomes national news, where he’s called a thug and possible drug dealer and gangbanger. His death becomes justified in the eyes of many, including one of Starr’s best friends at school. The police’s lackadaisical attitude sparks anger and then protests in the community, turning it into a war zone. Questions remain about what happened in the moments leading to Khalil’s death, and the only witness is Starr, who must now decide what to say or do, if anything. Thomas cuts to the heart of the matter for Starr and for so many like her, laying bare the systemic racism that undergirds her world, and she does so honestly and inescapably, balancing heartbreak and humor. With smooth but powerful prose delivered in Starr’s natural, emphatic voice, finely nuanced characters, and intricate and realistic relationship dynamics, this novel will have readers rooting for Starr and opening their hearts to her friends and family.
This story is necessary. This story is important. (Fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-249853-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
Categories: TEEN FICTION | TEEN SOCIAL THEMES
Did you like this book?
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
An emotionally engaging closer that fumbles in its final moments.
19
GET IT
Lara Jean prepares for college and a wedding.
Korean-American Lara Jean is finally settled into a nice, complication-free relationship with her white boyfriend, Peter. But things don’t stay simple for long. When college acceptance letters roll in, Peter and Lara Jean discover they’re heading in different directions. As the two discuss the long-distance thing, Lara Jean’s widower father is making a major commitment: marrying the neighbor lady he’s been dating. The whirlwind of a wedding, college visits, prom, and the last few months of senior year provides an excellent backdrop for this final book about Lara Jean. The characters ping from event to event with emotions always at the forefront. Han further develops her cast, pushing them to new maturity and leaving few stones unturned. There’s only one problem here, and it’s what’s always held this series back from true greatness: Peter. Despite Han’s best efforts to flesh out Peter with abandonment issues and a crummy dad, he remains little more than a handsome jock. Frankly, Lara Jean and Peter may have cute teen chemistry, but Han's nuanced characterizations have often helped to subvert typical teen love-story tropes. This knowing subversion is frustratingly absent from the novel's denouement.
An emotionally engaging closer that fumbles in its final moments. (Romance. 14-17)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3048-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
Categories: TEEN FICTION | TEEN ROMANCE | TEEN SOCIAL THEMES
Did you like this book?
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2020 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
