A fine questing adventure and a promising start to a series.
In Keridan’s fantasy series starter, a grieving young magic user must collaborate with an enemy to find answers about their world and themselves.
Eighteen-year-old Kyra Valorian has always been magically gifted, with many spells coming to her with ease. It’s assumed that she will one day take over her father’s job as the Princeps Shaman of Aeles. However, after a tragedy takes her father from her, Kyra discovers her powers are something much greater than she thought—and more dangerous. It turns out that she is a Recovrancer: a person who can travel into the world of the dead and come back. This type of magic is illegal in her society, and there haven’t been any Recovrancers for centuries. Meanwhile, in the realm of Nocens—home of Aeles’ longtime enemy, the Daevals—an assassin named Sebastian is looking for information on Recovrancers. His mother was killed 13 years ago, and ever since, he has had to rely on himself to adapt to a harsh world. He wants to retrieve an ancient, powerful sword called Rhannu, and while searching for a unicorn horn as part of a plan to do this, he nearly dies. Kyra helps heal him, and as they avoid authorities, they realize that they must work together to find the information about recovrancy. Neither knows if they can trust each other, but they feel a spark and familiarity around each other that’s hard to explain. Keridan’s worldbuilding is excellently crafted and seamlessly integrated into the story, enhancing the exposition. The author’s rich and immersive imagery further supports the atmosphere: “The warmth of the sun provided a nice contrast to the cool wind arriving in fits and spurts. Red and orange leaves stood out against the greenery of the forest, and the shrill warble of a bird sounded nearby.” The characters of Kyra and Sebastian feel complex and realistic, and they make dynamic, active decisions throughout. Secondary characters—family members, friends, colleagues, and enemies—all feel important to the story, as well, and have their own depth.
A fine questing adventure and a promising start to a series.Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68463-155-1
Page Count: 376
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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