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
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
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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