A fast-paced, offbeat LGBTQ+ love story.
A lesbian teen has to learn the hard way that an expected happily-ever-after ending may not come to pass in this coming-of-age novel.
Teenage Andie has always loved Ivy Harlowe. The two have been best friends for years, and even though Ivy, who’s also gay, never showed any romantic interest in her, Andie just assumed they would someday end up together—that if she just waited long enough, Ivy would realize that she’d always been there for her. That’s how it works in the romance novels she reads, anyway. One night, when the girls are at their usual club, Ivy hooks up with a bisexual stranger, which isn’t unusual. But then that stranger, Dot, starts hanging around—visiting Ivy, coming by for dinner. Andie knows how Ivy works, and she never lets a one-night stand hang around for additional nights. If that wasn’t enough for Andie to deal with, the strip club that her family owns may have to shut down, and Elizabeth, a gorgeous older woman, starts to show some unexpected interest in her. For the first time, Andie has no idea what might lie in her future—and she’s unsure how to handle it. Moskowitz’s novel is an unusual love story in that it’s more about loving oneself than another person. The brisk book features a diverse cast of various ethnicities, sexual orientations, and living arrangements; Andie’s friends Melody and Diana are together and in love and also in an open relationship. Ivy could very easily have come across as a villain in a story like this, as she doesn’t love Andie the way that Andie wants; however, the author does a fantastic job of making all of the major characters relatable and difficult to dislike. The book, though published by a YA imprint, definitely has more of a new-adult vibe, and the frank sexual discussion may not be suitable for younger teens.
A fast-paced, offbeat LGBTQ+ love story.Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64-937049-5
Page Count: 330
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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
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