Tightly plotted and brimming with heart.
To stop a looming war with the Saltarians, Court, Mykal, and Franny embark on a mission to save humanity.
Trapped on an enemy starcraft, the trio toils in the brig. The commander informs them that despite living all their lives on Saltare-3, they’re not Saltarian at all—they’re human. Humans are a foreign concept to them, and Franny yearns for answers. When a stranger arrives to take them to his ship, their questions only multiply. He’s a Saltarian who serves humans willingly, a rarity who is considered a blood traitor by Saltarian standards, and he needs their help. The Earthen Fleet is planning a retrieval mission on Saltare-1 to prevent a war, and only Court, Mykal, and Franny can fit in on the planet unnoticed. The stranger promises he’ll tell them about Earth as soon as they reach Saltare-1. While Franny eagerly pursues any means to learn about who she is, Court is mistrustful, at first only agreeing to the mission for her sake. Mykal and Court unhappily distance themselves from one another, afraid they’ll expose the link the three of them share, leaving them vulnerable. The addition of their rescuer’s perspective adds another layer to an already rich cast of characters. Romance, intrigue, and deep worldbuilding make every page thrum with life. A rushed ending only mildly dampens an otherwise thrilling, vibrant, and epic conclusion.
Tightly plotted and brimming with heart. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-12873-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A powerful tale of found family and first love.
After a year away, Ellis returns home to confront her past.
Graduating from high school far from everything familiar was not part of Ellis Truman’s original plans, but she nevertheless ended up spending her senior year with her aunt in California. In Indiana, Ellis practically grew up with the Albrey family and their three tightknit sons, Dixon, Tucker, and Easton. Now, Tucker wants her to return home for matriarch Sandry Albrey’s 50th birthday celebration on the Fourth of July—but Ellis is dreading seeing Easton, as they haven’t talked since she left. Chapters alternate between past and present, and much of the story unravels slowly: How did she come to live with the Albreys? What caused Ellis to then end up in San Diego? What happened in her relationship with Easton? Patient readers will find the heartfelt tension pays off. With her father in and out of jail and an absent mother, socio-economic differences separating Ellis from the middle-class Albreys don’t go unnoticed, and Ellis’ down-to-earth journey shows how she unpacks her feelings about her relationship with her parents. The slow-build romance is swoonworthy, and young adult fans of Colleen Hoover seeking emotional devastation and unforgettable characters will find much to enjoy here. Characters read as White.
A powerful tale of found family and first love. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-308853-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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