A droll, charming protagonist carries this uproarious magic-laden tale over the finish line.
The titular superpowered teen returns in this YA urban fantasy sequel, facing off against an evil threatening the lives of many—including the boy he’s crushing on.
It’s a fairly typical day for Jestin Kase, battling a giant monster in Chicago. The 15-year-old fights with magical, ancient Dragon Metal, which flows through his veins and can be manipulated to create armor and weapons. Jestin learns there’s something sinister afoot when he comes across an elf called Tirich, who hunts the entity that cursed his people with demon power. Meanwhile, a stranger wielding magic chains has been killing elves for unknown reasons. These dark doings connect to a being Tirich calls “Master of the Terrors of Shadow.” This malevolent presence covers the city in eldritch tendrils, putting millions in peril, including Jacob Colt, the boy Jestin may be interested in dating. Confronting this crisis, Jestin must rely upon people he doesn’t entirely trust, and his debilitating panic attacks make everything all the more grueling. Humor abounds in White’s tale as Jestin compulsively quips in all manner of potentially lethal circumstances: “I’m fine. Totally not crazy. Now let’s go talk to the vampire elf of living shadow sitting in our dungeon.” While this emphasis on comedy somewhat dampens suspense, Jestin’s genuinely funny sarcasm enlivens action scenes that showcase golems, blood-drinking elves, and a variety of creatures sporting claws and sharp teeth. More serious story elements also register, most notably Jestin’s concern for Colt, though their relationship develops here at a frustratingly slow pace. Still, the plucky teen hero and his faerie cat, Growly McHissy-Face, make for a wonderful duo.
A droll, charming protagonist carries this uproarious magic-laden tale over the finish line.Pub Date: May 30, 2023
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 376
Publisher: Teer Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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
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