by Lex Croucher ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 26, 2024
A captivating, action-packed, queer reimagining of the Robin Hood legend through the sharp eyes of his granddaughter.
The once-celebrated Merry Men have lost their way in the years since Robin Hood left the cause, making them nearly as feared as the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Serious, unflappable Mariel Hartley-Hood has a lot to live up to as Captain of the Merry Men. Her father is Commander Hartley, and she’s the granddaughter of Robin Hood himself. Her ragtag team is on the right track until a botched kidnapping lands her with a very annoying (and distractingly cute) captive: Clemence Causey. Clem is a wisecracking, skilled natural healer from a far corner of the forest. Eventually, Clem’s humor and lightheartedness chip away at Mariel’s stoic exterior, and sharp banter and tender moments stoke a romantic fire between the two. When Mariel learns that her father has been captured by the Sheriff, the Merry Men (and Clem) embark on a rescue mission. Told from Clem’s and Mariel’s alternating third-person perspectives, this queer enemies-to-lovers romp features a cast of racially diverse Merry Men who, of course, are not all men—the gang members use a variety of pronouns and represent a range of sexualities. Clem and Mariel read white. Croucher peppers their well-paced, witty, and thrilling novel with battle scenes. The story takes as many twists as the winding forest paths and hums with an undercurrent of friendship, honor, and the importance of found family.
A captivating, action-packed, queer reimagining of the Robin Hood legend through the sharp eyes of his granddaughter. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781250847232
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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BOOK REVIEW
by Lex Croucher
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
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New York Times Bestseller
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
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BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Nowlin
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SEEN & HEARD
by Lauren Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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