A mixed-genre tour de force that blends together post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy, and romance elements.
Harris’ debut novel unfolds in a near-future where vampirism has all but wiped out humankind.
It’s been approximately a decade since vampires crawled from the grave and destroyed most of human civilization in a brutal, blood-soaked uprising. Orphaned twins Ripley and Ruby Clemmons were rescued from the Open—the wasteland between human enclaves where monsters roam free—by a man named Barnett who took them to Vaille (North Carolina’s biggest human compound) and raised them as his own. Now, 18 and almost full-fledged slayers, the twins face an unimaginable tragedy. While out on a mission in the Open, the twins’ squadron is attacked, and X, the most powerful vampire in the area, turns Ripley into a bloodsucker. Ruby, the story’s narrator, is devastated. With the hope of a possible cure for vampirism being dangled in front of her by Barnett, Ruby vows to find her sister and rescue her from X. But when she finally meets her sister again, her world is upended by revelations about X, an underground city of vampires, and research being conducted by the leaders of Vaille. A well-developed cast, intriguing character dynamics (the twins’ intimate bond is brilliantly explored), and excellent worldbuilding are the obvious strengths here, but the snarky sense of humor is what makes this novel so readable—and fun. Here, Ruby recalls when the apocalypse began: “I remember…worrying about lockdowns and seniors losing their chance at graduation. And then a sophomore died, reanimated into a vampire, and ate her way through the football team.” Equal parts romance and coming-of-age tale, this adventure at world’s end should satisfy teen and adult readers alike.
A mixed-genre tour de force that blends together post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy, and romance elements.Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378392
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization.
Ellis Mitchell has her whole life planned out.
Heading into senior year, Ellis plans to study hard and crush it at the journalism internship her media executive dad got her, paving the way for her acceptance to Columbia University. But then Ellis’ parents announce they’re separating—and that Ellis and her mom will be heading to Bramble Falls to stay with her aunt and cousin. Furious that her careful plans have been upended, Ellis struggles to settle into the small, charming Connecticut town even as everyone around her gears up for the annual Falling Leaves Festival. Ellis runs into Cooper Barnett—her long-ago summer friend from visits to Aunt Naomi and cousin Sloane—who’s grown up to be very handsome. But Cooper isn’t pleased to see Ellis; he’s cold and curt, and she has no idea why. Wilson’s YA debut is chock-full of charm. Readers will swoon at Cooper’s and Ellis’ developing feelings following their frosty reunion and sympathize with Ellis’ difficulties even as Bramble Falls grows on her. She must choose between small-town community ties and big-city ambitions—between what her dad wants for her and what she really wants. Ellis’ relationships with her mom, aunt, and cousin are lovely and aspirational. The depiction of Bramble Falls is evocative, and the book contains enough seasonal delights to satisfy even the most devoted pumpkin spice latte lover. Main characters are cued white.
A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665975209
Page Count: 352
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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