Next book

THE SCAPEGRACERS

From the Scapegracers series , Vol. 1

Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut.

Since becoming an orphan at 7, it’s mainly been Sideways Pike and her spell book—until a raucous Halloween party blasts her world open.

In the West High social hierarchy, Jing, Daisy, and Yates are the queen bees who rule the roost. When they hire Sideways—offering her $40 in exchange for casting a spell to make their party the best of the season—the result isn’t only memorably spooky, thanks to the unbelievable creep factor à la Sideways, but also a disturbing mystery that bonds all four girls. To Sideways’ utter bewilderment, the triumvirate fiercely claims her, and she’s now a member of the most badass girl clique. Their camaraderie strengthens with each narrow escape as they curse toxic males and witch hunters and build their collective power. Readers will love the spooky pop-culture easter eggs and appreciate a fresh spin on the mean girls theme: Readers won’t despise, but will root for, this cunning, crass, and fiercely caring coven. Bitingly honest, fast-paced dialogue is a solid strength, as is the lyrical language, which is so intimate that readers will viscerally know how magic and emotions feel in Sideways’ body. Jing is cued as Chinese American, Yates is black, and all other characters are presumed white, including Sideways, who is lesbian, and her two adoptive dads.

Teenage girl magic is palpable, urgent, and simply marvelous in this must-have debut. (Paranormal. 15-18)

Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-64566-000-2

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Erewhon

Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020

Next book

THE STARS WE STEAL

A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing.

For the second time in her life, Leo must choose between her family and true love.

Nineteen-year-old Princess Leonie Kolburg’s royal family is bankrupt. In order to salvage the fortune they accrued before humans fled the frozen Earth 170 years ago, Leonie’s father is forcing her to participate in the Valg Season, an elaborate set of matchmaking events held to facilitate the marriages of rich and royal teens. Leo grudgingly joins in even though she has other ideas: She’s invented a water filtration system that, if patented, could provide a steady income—that is if Leo’s calculating Aunt Freja, the Captain of the ship hosting the festivities, stops blocking her at every turn. Just as Leo is about to give up hope, her long-lost love, Elliot, suddenly appears onboard three years after Leo’s family forced her to break off their engagement. Donne (Brightly Burning, 2018) returns to space, this time examining the fascinatingly twisted world of the rich and famous. Leo and her peers are nuanced, deeply felt, and diverse in terms of sexuality but not race, which may be a function of the realities of wealth and power. The plot is fast paced although somewhat uneven: Most of the action resolves in the last quarter of the book, which makes the resolutions to drawn-out conflicts feel rushed.

A thrilling romance that could use more even pacing. (Science fiction. 16-adult)

Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-328-94894-6

Page Count: 400

Publisher: HMH Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019

Next book

SERPENT & DOVE

From the Serpent & Dove series , Vol. 1

Will cast a spell on romance fans.

A stealth witch and a devout witch hunter are forced to marry.

In this French-flavored fantasy world, witches are hunted down by the Church’s Chasseurs and burned at the stake; they retaliate against this genocidal crusade through vicious terrorist attacks. Thief Louise le Blanc wants none of that—she’s left her witch life behind. But Lou ends up on Chasseur captain Reid Diggory’s radar when a heist goes bad; his attempt to catch her lands them in a situation so compromising that the archbishop suggests marriage to save face. Lou’s initial priority is self-protection—wanting to avoid both fallout from the heist and a dangerous figure from her past—and she’s fine with using Reid. The slow-burn, opposites-attract romance between crass, irreverent Lou and prim and proper Reid gets very hot and sexy once it ignites. Lou sees firsthand the damages some witches do to innocents, has her presumptions about individual Chasseurs challenged, and also sees up close the horrors Chasseurs perpetrate. Despite occasional pacing hiccups and an easily guessed twist, the secondary characters will charm readers, and the story picks up when Lou’s past dangerously catches up to her, revealing the true stakes. Though at heart a romance, rich second-tier characters round out the shades-of-gray, morality-and-empathy themes. Witches, Chasseurs, and some secondary characters come in all colors; the leads appear white. The ending screams sequel.

Will cast a spell on romance fans. (Fantasy. 15-adult)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-06-287802-1

Page Count: 528

Publisher: HarperTeen

Review Posted Online: June 17, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019

Close Quickview