by Kevin Craig ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2022
An uneven story that crosses genres.
A bookshop of dreams fuels nightmarish possibilities.
Struggling with listening to his arguing parents, 17-year-old Gaige goes for a walk in downtown Toronto and is irresistibly drawn into a bookstore. Though put off by the unusual atmosphere, creepy shopkeeper (who somehow knows his name), and a nippy cat, he also finds himself drawn to a weird, foul-smelling book. A stern warning from the bookseller backfires and piques his interest; Gaige handles the book, thus sealing his fate. He quickly learns that each time he opens it he visits a surreal place, and he loses time in the real world. While on the Other Side Gaige meets nonbinary goth Mael, who was tricked and trapped in this hidden realm. Gaige continues to return, seeking information about the connections among a bookstore that doesn’t always exist, a book no one else can see that leads to another world, and the increasingly threatening bookstore proprietor, Jack Chalek. Even though every visit risks his own safety and brings a chance that Chalek’s power may grow stronger, Gaige brings others to the mysterious place, including his boyfriend and best friend. These retraced steps dilute the story, and several pauses for romantic interludes weaken the mounting tension, resulting in a faltering pace. Gaige’s inner monologue also at times undercuts the intensity in this work that may please romance readers more than horror buffs. The cast is largely implied White.
An uneven story that crosses genres. (Horror. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-951954-19-2
Page Count: 290
Publisher: Interlude Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
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by Kevin Craig
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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by Laura Nowlin
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 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
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