Allie’s a smart, strong and compelling heroine, and readers will gladly join her for this adrenaline-rich ride.
Meet 17-year-old Allie Sekemoto, a reluctant vampire struggling to hold on to her humanity and stave off the demon that lies in wait, thinly veiled beneath the surface of her undead skin.
Over a half century after a plague has decimated the human race, vampires reign, and humans are little more than “blood bags” to serve their masters. Rabids, vicious hybrid creatures born of the plague, prowl the land beyond the walled vampire cities, eager for human prey. When Allie is savagely attacked by a rabid while scavenging for food, a mysterious vampire offers her the choice of a human death or “life” as a vampire. Ultimately forced to flee both the only city she’s ever known and her maker, Allie’s determination to remain more human than monster is put to the test, particularly when she joins a band of humans on a desperate journey to safety on the island of Eden. Particularly when she falls in love. Kagawa has done the seemingly impossible and written a vampire book, the first in a planned series, that feels fresh in an otherwise crowded genre. She mixes paranormal and dystopian tropes to good effect, creating a world that will appeal across audiences.
Allie’s a smart, strong and compelling heroine, and readers will gladly join her for this adrenaline-rich ride. (Paranormal/dystopian romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-373-21051-0
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2012
PROFILES
A ponderous finale.
Prophecies and romance close out a trilogy.
Back in the world of Renalt and Achleva, multiple complex storylines weave together old and new themes. Initial nods at “Snow White” and “Sleeping Beauty” soon fracture into “Now,” with chapter headings counting down the days till Midwinter, and “Then,” the events happening one year, 13 years, or over a century ago. The Circle Midnight, a cultlike group, is implicated in the prophesied catastrophe that familiar characters, royalty and commoners alike, are fighting to prevent. This drawn-out tale lumbers through breathless revelations and twisty-turny character reveals, with formerly dead Aurelia and the noble Dominic Castillion as reincarnations of ancient, magical Queen Vieve and her beloved consort, Adamus. Overly ambitious worldbuilding, including different magical systems and religious groups, bog down the forward motion of the plot. There are a few interesting elements: One-handed Kellan learns to control a prosthetic hand made out of magical quicksilver; young King Conrad (8 years old, though written more like an early adolescent) purposefully drugs himself with memory-erasing frostlace to avoid detection by a charismatic, telepathic leader; and a deadly fever—connected to political machinations—spreads through the populace at a horrifying rate. Skin tones range from pale to dark brown, but racial categories seem to not exist.
A ponderous finale. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-328-49632-4
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
An atmospheric, tension-filled fantasy debut.
In an alternate Harlem in 1926 that’s soaked in blood and secrets, former best friends Elise Saint and Layla Quinn grapple with the murders plaguing their city—and the feelings they have for each other.
Vampires, or reapers, abound in Jazz Era Harlem. For 18-year-old Black girls Elise and Layla, the outlook is bleak. Five years ago, Layla lost her parents, became a reaper, and tried to kill her best friend. The attack caused Elise to leave for Paris, but now she’s back for the 10-year anniversary party of the founding of the Saint empire, one built to kill reapers. Layla, armed with a knife, breaks into the Saint mansion, frightens Elise’s younger sister, and confronts Elise. Soon after, Layla is blamed for a vicious attack on Saint associates. The girls find themselves teaming up to investigate, working toward the goal of finding a cure for reaperhood. Elise and Layla’s simmering friction drives the book, making their interactions a highlight. Scenes with other characters sparkle—such as those featuring gangster Jamie (whose loyalties are unclear) and Elise’s confidant, Sterling (a reaper hunter whose white mother fled the Deep South after his Black father was lynched)—while others fall flat, leading to uneven pacing. The worldbuilding is also inconsistent and confusing at times. But this duology opener, packed with themes of racial, emotional, and generational trauma, features gorgeously written prose that will leave readers wanting more.
An atmospheric, tension-filled fantasy debut. (content warning) (Fantasy. 15-18)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728297866
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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