This story deftly fuses a family’s engaging dynamic with chic superpowers.
Reunited supernaturally-gifted brothers find themselves in danger after meeting the family they’ve never known in White’s debut YA novel.
It’s been a decade since 16-year-old Julian Harrington’s parents’ divorce split the family in two. His father died several years ago, leaving Julian in Boston with his paternal grandparents. Now, he gets news that his estranged mother has died, which requires a trip to San Francisco for the reading of the will and a reunion with his younger brother, Jacob. Their aunt and newly-minted legal guardian Molly Finnegan takes the boys to Finnegan’s Close, a castle in Ireland. It’s there they learn of their extended family’s “Gifts”—special abilities the brothers already have but can’t quite control. With training (courtesy of their aunts and uncles), Julian slowly masters his telekinesis and Jacob develops his telepathy. Unfortunately, Jacob’s skills attract the attention of a diabolical criminal who targets the boy with a sinister purpose in mind. White’s novel quickly establishes the simpatico brothers, who have no idea why their parents kept them apart or why their Finnegan relatives have all but ignored them for so long. The siblings’ relationship is endearing; they instantly reconnect, displaying a sturdy bond that only gets stronger despite Jacob being a mere 3-year-old when Julian last saw him. The Finnegans are an entertainingly mixed bag—some, like Molly, are loving (“She pulled him into a hug. Jacob let himself feel the warmth of it”), while others are indifferent or even outright hostile. While the author subtly weaves the Gifts into the narrative, they still stand out, running the gamut from Molly’s electricity manipulation to Uncle Ned’s ability to “wipe memories.” The novel is primed for sequels—it ends with numerous mysteries surrounding the family, including the backstory of Julian and Jacob’s parents, an unknown uncle apparently up to “his usual shenanigans” in America, and certain relatives who seemingly hate the brothers.
This story deftly fuses a family’s engaging dynamic with chic superpowers.Pub Date: June 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781800168213
Page Count: 388
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2024
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
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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