A well-crafted, engaging tale that advances a promising fantasy series.
This fantasy sequel introduces higher stakes, bloodier encounters, and a prophecy to end all prophecies.
Marcus Adicio—alongside his best friend and journey recorder, Ash, and his retinue—is back in Baiseen, dealing with the aftermath of a battle there and trying to rebuild the realm. On the world of Amassia, Marcus is a “savant,” who can raise a “phantom” of his subconscious self. He is no longer the heir to the Throne of Baiseen, having lost it to his nonsavant brother, Petén. Ash, a nonsavant, is still recovering from a mysterious illness that has left her with severe gaps in her memory and unable to listen to her inner voice (or to communicate mentally with her beloved, sailor Kaylin). When the second sun rises on the horizon, the group knows it heralds the next Great Dying, which, according to a prophecy, means that the end of the world is approaching. When the prognosticating “Bone Thrower” consults the bones for the next steps to take, he names Marcus the Bone Gatherer. The soothsayer sends Marcus and his friends on a quest all over Amassia to gather the original 12 whistle bones from their sanctuaries and rebuild the “crown of bones,” as “whoever holds the crown, holds the future of all the realms in their hands.” Their journey is one of danger, with enemies tracking them, betrayal lurking around every corner, and unexpected allies rising from the deep sea. And as Marcus continues to struggle with his phantom De’ral’s unruly ways and Kaylin keeps his own secrets under lock and key, Ash learns more about who she really is—and what her rightful place is in the grand scheme of things. This sequel builds on a solid foundation to develop its engrossing, twisty story even further, with a plethora of intriguing characters sharing the narrator role. Wilder’s worldbuilding is full of dense and complex lore, and as the characters learn more about their histories, politics, and magic, important questions are raised; compelling subplots surface; and the tale feels richer. The volume is full of surprises, romance, and adventure, building to a bombastic cliffhanger that beautifully sets the stage for the next entry and avoids sequel pitfalls.
A well-crafted, engaging tale that advances a promising fantasy series.Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-64937-108-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love.
The lives of two Los Angeles girls inhabiting different universes intersect, proving that love knows no bounds.
Brenda Nguyen has a 19-step plan to save the world. Kat Woo is haunted by her legacy as the chosen one, a role she has no interest in. Brenda, working on an environmental science college scholarship application, stumbles into Sammy’s Coffee and Pick-Me-Ups, which Kat’s family owns. As the girls get to know each other, Brenda at last finds someone who’ll listen to her detailed plans, while Kat discovers she has something to look forward to. The girls, who alternate narrating the story, must defy the odds as their worlds begin to collide. As well as being a love story, this is an exploration of familial expectations: Kat is trying to outrun them, while Brenda is driven to fulfill hers. The girls, who are of Chinese and Vietnamese descent, respectively, complement each other: Brenda learns to live in the present, and Kat begins to look to the future. While there are pixie swarms and mana surges, the action takes a back seat to characterization. Lee’s fully developed parallel worlds are alike in many ways, although in Kat’s, you can buy teleportation spells at Target. The cast is rounded out by solid portrayals of the girls’ friends and family, who are important to the plot.
A charming cozy fantasy about defying expectations and finding love. (author’s note, recommended reading) (Fantasy romance. 14-18)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250778024
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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