For romance fans only, who should enjoy it.
Romance trumps action even during the final battle to save the world in this trilogy closer.
At 17, Skye learned she was the daughter of two angels, one a Guardian and one a Rebel, giving her supernatural powers beyond any ever before seen. Now in conflict with both factions, she and her friends unite to try to forge a new way and keep the universe in balance. Sadly, both of her heartthrobs, former Guardian Devin and Asher, now both in the Rebel camp, oppose her, even though they all still have to attend high school together. Skye tracks down two other Rogue angels, one with a cute little daughter named Earth, and the group sets out to prepare for the epic battle and for another important event: prom. When that heroic battle occurs, Davies keeps her focus more on romance than on the action, interrupting the battle numerous times for conversations explaining the participants’ emotions, decisions and sudden romantic realizations; Asher reaches full Harlequin eloquence in his final speech to Skye. In the closing pages, Skye makes a final, major choice that indeed should fully end the trilogy. Skye, Devin and Asher come across as standard-issue romance heroes, but a few of the minor characters achieve some nice individuality, especially Earth.
For romance fans only, who should enjoy it. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-199069-4
Page Count: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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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