Ruby Red series fans will not be disappointed with this surprising and romantic finale.
Contemporary teen Gwen confronts romantic heartbreak and shocking secrets about her destiny as part of the time traveling Circle of Twelve in this final volume of the Ruby Red Trilogy, which commences where Sapphire Blue (2012) abruptly ended.
Since discovering she’s the Ruby, the last link in the multigenerational Circle, which is controlled by malevolent Count Saint-Germain, Gwen and fellow time traveler Gideon have undertaken perilous trips to the past. They’ve connected with missing Circle members whose blood samples must be added to a chronograph for the Circle to be complete and a secret prophecy fulfilled. Desperately in love with Gideon, a heartsick Gwen believes he feigned love to manipulate her, but during one of their missions, Gwen receives what should be a mortal wound, and Gideon reveals his true feelings. Together, they learn the count plans to sacrifice Gwen to ensure his own immortality, and Gwen discovers game-changing secrets about her past as she prepares for a final showdown. The vulnerable Gwen continues to narrate in chatty, somewhat self-absorbed banter that’s liberally laced with humor. Gradual unveiling of secrets, blossoming love and suspenseful forays into the past rivet attention.
Ruby Red series fans will not be disappointed with this surprising and romantic finale. (Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9267-7
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2013
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
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
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