Likely to be gobbled up by fans of the genre, but it won’t win new ones.
A paint-by-numbers dystopia neither offends nor thrills.
In a future in which corporations have taken over bankrupt states, the Executives are at the top and the Basement-dwellers, who live in a world of illegal vices, at the bottom. Nadia Lake is careful of her actions and her reputation, since she can’t afford to jeopardize the betrothal her parents made for her with Nathaniel Hayes, the Chairman Heir of Paxco. Their marriage will be in name only, since Nate is gay and in love with Kurt Bishop, his valet and a former Basement-dweller. But Nate is murdered, and Kurt is seen fleeing the scene with blood on his hands. Nate is replaced with a Replica, a perfect copy of himself, negating the tension caused by his murder. But Mosely, the sinister, mustache-twirling head of security for Nate’s father, still wants to find out who killed Nate. He threatens Nadia into spying on the replica Nate as he looks for Kurt in the Basement. Nadia and Nate will have to work together to find the truth, only to discover something much bigger than themselves. There’s a lot of setup and not a lot of payoff in this novel, the ending of which leaves open the possibility of a sequel. While Nadia and Nate display some personality, other characters, like Mosely and Kurt, are cardboard cutouts.
Likely to be gobbled up by fans of the genre, but it won’t win new ones. (Dystopian adventure. 14 & up)Pub Date: July 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7653-3371-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2013
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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