Frustrated at being penned in by her counterculture parents, 17-year-old Ava shifts away from her unconventional school and a longstanding relationship with her beautiful but sometimes chilly girlfriend in this funny and poignant Australian import. She is unsure about many things; her decision to switch to an academically rigorous high school is her first step in trying out a new persona. Her plans also include wearing the soft pink sweater of her dreams, attempting to fit into the mainstream and possibly, just maybe, dating a boy. Nothing turns out as she'd expected, though, and Ava finds herself spending a lot of time with the outcast members of her new school's stage crew (or "Screw" as they've proclaimed themselves), to whom she relates much more than she'd like to admit. Ostensibly a focus of the novel is Ava's process of understanding her sexuality, but her search for belonging doesn't stop there. While the resolution of her struggle is too predictable, the delightfully authentic, bawdy dialogue and cast of intensely likable misfits energetically propel this story forward. Readers will enjoy the ride. (Fiction. 13 & up)
Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-192653-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2011
With Texas-sized heart and cinematic action, this magical fantasy is a crowd pleaser.
Two magicians facing off in a competition discover the strengths—and dangers—of their powers that are amplified as a result of their attraction.
It’s finally time for Nigel Barrett, a Texan cowboy with elf magic, to participate in the Culling, a tournament in which thousands of 18-year-old magicians—descendants of elves, fae, goblins, nymphs, and sprites—will be whittled down. The best of the best will join the Guild and fight the Depraved, while the rest will be stripped of their powers. When bighearted Nigel encounters Orion Olson during his first trial, he feels a connection, but prickly Ori is not here to make friends. The boys soon realize that being together boosts their powers, but what at first seems like remarkable magic ends up coming with a giant helping of risk. This captivating story with propulsive action features nuanced characterizations of its white leads and racially diverse secondary characters. It sets itself apart from others in the genre by its original worldbuilding, particularly its version of how demons are formed by human hate and cruelty. Fighting them with love-based magic could easily have seemed too twee, but the story works due to its increasingly heavy stakes and surprising turns. The fact that queer love is what is so powerful makes this story especially affirming and noteworthy. The ending enticingly sets readers up for a sequel.
With Texas-sized heart and cinematic action, this magical fantasy is a crowd pleaser. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781368089234
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Masterfully modernizing the gothic horror genre, McGinnis outdoes herself.
While one cousin grapples with murder, another seeks revenge in this Edgar Allen Poe–inspired sequel to The Initial Insult (2021).
Picking up where the first novel ended, this duology closer once again follows Tress Montor in mostly White, small-town Amontillado, Ohio. Still looking for answers about her parents’ mysterious disappearance 7 years ago, Tress is also haunted à la “The Tell-Tale Heart” by the murder of Felicity Turnado, whom she entombed alive in the previous entry. Alternating with her first-person narration are chapters from her often taunted cousin, Kermit “Ribbit” Usher. Reminiscent of the title character in Poe’s “Hop-Frog,” Ribbit plans for a deadly revenge against his tormentors as well as a heroic rescue of Felicity and a family-ordered killing. As before, the alternating point-of-view chapters, with taut storytelling, dark twists, and allusions to Poe, effectively play off one another. Reinforcing the converging storylines are interspersed cryptic free-verse poems by Rue, a caged orangutan who lives at the illegal exotic animal attraction owned by Tress’ grandfather. The overall effect this time ups the mystery, intensity, and horror (emphasis on the latter!), with a satisfying ending delivering answers about ongoing family questions and clashes. Readers must be familiar with the first book to fully appreciate this one.
Masterfully modernizing the gothic horror genre, McGinnis outdoes herself. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-298245-2
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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