A charming, emotionally intelligent adventure.
A Florida teen’s webcomic reignites people’s belief in Korean gods, conjuring the deities into existence.
Overachiever Grace Bak is determined to do whatever it takes to follow in her parents’ footsteps and get into Boston University’s combined bachelor of science/doctor of medicine program. Grace is a “hive of anxiety,” struggling to prove her worth to her emotionally distant widower father, the peers she alienated during last semester’s “incident,” and herself. Only Zoe Ortiz, her nonbinary best friend, knows that Grace is the creator behind the viral webcomic Sun God, which is inspired by the Korean myths Grace’s late halmeoni used to tell her. In the comic, Haemosu, the titular sun god, and his lover, Yuhwa, are trapped in human bodies and cursed to attend public school. Powered by readers’ adoration, Grace’s characters come to life. The new boy at school turns out to be Haemosu, who’s unable to find his way home. As Grace tries to help him return to his realm, their friendship grows into a blossoming romance that’s tested when calamities strike. People contract smallpox and are attacked by terrifying monsters, events that point to the rageful water god Habaek, who commands Grace to stop meddling in celestial affairs. Cho’s insightful story embraces Korean culture while also depicting the social-emotional challenges of being Asian American in a predominantly white community. Grace’s relationship with Haemosu is grounded by her sincere journeys of navigating grief and embracing self-love.
A charming, emotionally intelligent adventure. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
ISBN: 9780593406816
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
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 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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