A fast-paced tale with richly drawn characters that revels in mythical worldbuilding.
A teenager is thrust into an otherworldly mystery when she stumbles upon a glowing gem in Messina’s YA SF novel.
When readers first meet Resa Stone, the 17-year-old is living with her parents and twin brother, Dakota, on the planet Wandelsta. Five years ago, aliens made contact with Earth and revealed the existence of 25 other planets harboring life. The aliens’ technology made interstellar travel possible, and Resa’s family became one of the few that were chosen to live on Wandelsta for six months as part of “a universal sociologic experiment.” Resa has had a recurring dream in which a mysterious girl named Nitika tells her, “You are the one”; one day on Wandelsta, she sees Nitika in her waking life, and Nitika leads her to a gem that she says will “fulfill [her] destiny.” The importance of this gem reveals itself in the legend of Gemja—a distant, utopian planet whose crystals once satisfied everyone’s every need until an evil force came and tempted different species to steal the crystals for themselves. Only when all the stones are found and activated by representatives of each planet will Gemja reappear. As Resa struggles with the meaning of the gem, and the revelation that she’s not even the first person in her family to find one, she must also contend with her burgeoning powers as a witch—she had a witch mentor back on Earth—and the attention of a mysterious violet-eyed boy. Over the course of this novel, Messina offers an absorbing story that’s peppered with haunting black-and-white illustrations by Pavliuk. It blends fantasy and SF elements, along with witchcraft and teenage romance, with a degree of skill that’s likely to satisfy fans of all these genres. The action never stops moving, whether Resa encounters a talking wolf in a forest or practices astral projection to save her grandmother. The plot will also encourage readers to consider big questions as well, such as whether the mind is truly limitless.
A fast-paced tale with richly drawn characters that revels in mythical worldbuilding.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781736723128
Page Count: 333
Publisher: Lunalore Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 2, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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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