Charlie and Katrina are just the first couple; hooked readers can expect the fun to continue.
Comedy, romance and chick lit mix with Greek mythology when Zeus sends Eros, daughter of Aphrodite, to Earth.
In Scott’s universe, Eros is female, and she commits a serious sin by falling in love with Orion, who may be a constellation but remains mortal. When Zeus finds out, he banishes Eros to 21st-century New Jersey, demanding that she make three love matches or he will kill Orion—but he’s taken away her love-creating powers. Since her mom had kept Eros’ forbidden liaison secret, Zeus banishes her too. He does put them in a nice house with a library and wine cellar, but he gives them no money. Aphrodite immediately occupies herself with drinking up the wine, but feisty Eros enrolls in high school, renaming herself “True Olympia.” Spotting Charlie, a shy boy who wants to play drums against his athletic family’s wishes, she matches him up with several girls who turn out to be completely incompatible, missing Katrina, the girl readers easily will see is Charlie’s true soul mate. Eros’ nonexistent fashion sense and her superconfident, in-your-face attitude provide plenty of chuckles, while Charlie and Katrina’s relationship drama keeps pages turning. Scott writes chapters from the viewpoints of “True,” Charlie and Katrina and treats the mythology lightly, with Percy Jackson–style irreverence.
Charlie and Katrina are just the first couple; hooked readers can expect the fun to continue. (Chick lit/fantasy. 12-17)Pub Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7718-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2014
A smart, timely outing.
Two teens connect through a mysterious podcast in this sophomore effort by British author Oseman (Solitaire, 2015).
Frances Janvier is a 17-year-old British-Ethiopian head girl who is so driven to get into Cambridge that she mostly forgoes friendships for schoolwork. Her only self-indulgence is listening to and creating fan art for the podcast Universe City, “a…show about a suit-wearing student detective looking for a way to escape a sci-fi, monster-infested university.” Aled Last is a quiet white boy who identifies as “partly asexual.” When Frances discovers that Aled is the secret creator of Universe City, the two embark on a passionate, platonic relationship based on their joint love of pop culture. Their bond is complicated by Aled’s controlling mother and by Frances’ previous crush on Aled’s twin sister, Carys, who ran away last year and disappeared. When Aled’s identity is accidently leaked to the Universe City fandom, he severs his relationship with Frances, leaving her questioning her Cambridge goals and determined to win back his affection, no matter what the cost. Frances’ narration is keenly intelligent; she takes mordant pleasure in using an Indian friend’s ID to get into a club despite the fact they look nothing alike: “Gotta love white people.” Though the social-media–suffused plot occasionally lags, the main characters’ realistic relationship accurately depicts current issues of gender, race, and class.
A smart, timely outing. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-233571-5
Page Count: 496
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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