While some of the previous book’s fans will appreciate knowing what happens next, many will wish they’d left it up to their...
Seventeen-year-old Eureka Boudreaux’s tears have unleashed a flood of biblical proportions, threatening to drown the whole of the Waking World and paving the way for the rise of Atlantis and its evil ruler, Atlas (Teardrop, 2013).
If only it were that simple. Eureka, her close friend Cat, her family, and her magical sweetheart, Ander, leave behind their flooded Louisiana bayou and make their way to dry land in search of a reclusive Seedbearer who holds the secret to defeating Atlas. In Solon’s subterranean grotto, Eureka comes closer to the truth of her identity and to an understanding of how she can undo the darkness she’s unwittingly released on the world. She also continues to wrestle with her conflicting love for Ander and for her best friend, Brooks, who remains possessed by Atlas. Unfortunately, what was once a compelling love triangle feels much less so this time around, partially due to the fact that Eureka’s encounters with Brooks are much fewer and farther between. This sequel as a whole is waterlogged, sodden with new characters and choked with plotlines that dampen the tension, dilute the romance and threaten to leave readers scratching their heads instead of turning the pages.
While some of the previous book’s fans will appreciate knowing what happens next, many will wish they’d left it up to their own imaginations. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-385-74267-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2014
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
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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