A fine-tuned character study spotlighting the emotional and psychological awakening of two unexpected galactic heroes.
Two former soldiers turned freedom fighters track down an unknown adversary in this Star Wars novel.
The First Order may have fallen, but it refuses to fade quietly into the darkness. For Finn and Jannah, the regime’s cruelty extends beyond the battlefield. Before joining the Resistance, both were obedient stormtroopers—until they could no longer ignore how the First Order punished and terrorized the people it claimed to liberate. Finn’s breaking point occurred while he was serving as a bodyguard for Major Gohl, and Jannah defected after an incident on Ansett Island. Now, following the Battle of Exegol, the Resistance has been searching for survivors and refugees. When a ship of frightened children dressed in First Order uniforms arrives at the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss, Finn and Jannah decide to uncover the shuttle’s origins. As they delve deeper into their mission, the pair reopen past traumas. Set after the events of the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mbalia’s stand-alone YA debut skillfully constructs the backstories of two compelling Black characters who were underutilized in filmmaker George Lucas’ universe. Although casual Star Wars fans may need to brush up on their cinematic lore, the action-filled narrative shines when showing Finn’s and Jannah’s inner conflicts, particularly as they question and reject the First Order’s twisted moral code.
A fine-tuned character study spotlighting the emotional and psychological awakening of two unexpected galactic heroes. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781368065610
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Star Wars/Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener.
Teens from different social spheres collaborate, investigating magical mysteries while navigating their shared attraction.
When 18-year-old Wren Hayes doesn’t receive a magical gift from the three Fates—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—she’s shunned by Aurilian high society. Unbeknownst to Wren, 19-year-old Damien, a thief from the Void (a part of the city she’s forbidden to visit) has taken the locket that should have been her gift from the Fates. He’s shocked to discover a photo of himself inside. Using his own Fates’ gift—a mirror with powers of invisibility—Damien infiltrates a party and steals a silver watch from a guest. But his gift isn’t fully functioning, and Wren tackles him, sending them both tumbling into the mud. They tussle and exchange flirty barbs before Damien makes off with his prize, losing Wren’s locket in the process. Unsure why someone from the Void would possess such a gift and determined to uncover why hers was “unjustly kept” from her, Wren tracks down Damien. Seeking answers of his own, he agrees to work with her. Their well-crafted dance of desire and restraint is on point (“She stifled a stunned noise as I placed a menacing kiss—a mere graze of my lips—on the back of her hand”), melding seamlessly with the plot. The story addresses sexism, privilege, and wealth while hurtling the characters into a whirlwind of action and disturbing revelations. Wren presents white, and Damien has tanned skin.
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener. (map) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798217117215
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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