A satisfying close to a magical trilogy.
Treasure hunters Filore and Shane must stop an evil witch and save an enchanted kingdom in the third installment of their fairy-tale adventure.
Left separated and temporarily defeated at the end of The Severed Thread (2023), tan-skinned, dark-haired Fi and Shane (who’s white) must now gather their friends and allies to fight for their happily-ever-afters. Readers who have been following the series will be excited about all the threads that are finally tied off, such as the history of the spooky, enigmatic Spindle Witch and the fate of Filore and her Butterfly Curse. As in the first two installments, the well-paced prose is emotionally evocative and painterly. The author weaves together magic and romance in an action-filled plot and populates the book with characters who are distinctive, likable, and competent. One unusual characteristic of this trilogy is the fact that the three volumes feel much like one very long book: The first two lacked satisfying conclusions, and this third one reads like an ending without a beginning. Now that all the books are out, readers who want to join Fi and Shane on their gender-swapped “Sleeping Beauty”–inspired journey can do so from beginning to end, enjoying the full story arc.
A satisfying close to a magical trilogy. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780593625569
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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