An ambitious, promising premise ultimately disappoints but still marks James one to watch.
James takes a well-worn trope—lovers reincarnated across time—and gives it a spin.
Katherine and Matthew, both white, exist in four different times: 1745 Carlisle, 1854 Crimea, 2019 England, and 2039 England, where the latest incarnations stumble on a mystery surrounding their 2019 selves (who are also their respective aunt and uncle). This is a lot for an author to manage; despite clear planning, the execution is often weak. Both the 1745 and 1854 storylines combine anachronistic dialogue with weak characterization, while the 2039 future tantalizes but never comes across clearly. Meanwhile, insta-love flattens what should be swoony emotional beats throughout. In the 2019 section, Katherine and Matthew (seen only through their correspondence) have an engaging dimensionality (even if they also seem like lovesick teens rather than the professional researchers they are supposed to be). The other timelines, with two similar typefaces for the past and a quite different one for the future, combine “primary source” documents and third-person narration but lack the presence of the 2019 versions. The conspiracy surrounding the 2019 deaths creates a much-needed sense of tension, considerably enlivening the 2019 and 2039 sections. Unexplained brief inserts commenting on the various timelines similarly evoke a larger plot; the authorial decision to leave this feature unexplained leads to a needlessly confusing and unresolved ending.
An ambitious, promising premise ultimately disappoints but still marks James one to watch. (Science fiction/romance. 13-18)Pub Date: June 13, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5107-1021-4
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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