A squeaky-clean romance for the youngest end of YA or readers who want nothing objectionable when it comes to love stories.
Fervor for the Civil War never dies; neither can one of its soldiers.
When Lori Chase and her hospitality-industry–driven parents move the family from a snazzy Philadelphia hotel to a bed-and-breakfast in Gettysburg, it’s not long before the 16-year-old begins seeing a dashing yet melancholy Union soldier (although the book’s title implies the opposite) named Nathaniel Pierce. And in just a few days’ time, Lori not only agrees to solve the mystery of Nathaniel’s death, but falls deeply in love with the soldier. Competing theories, involving treason, a Hatfield-McCoy–type family feud and a missing ring once owned by Abraham Lincoln, as well as numerous historical elements, keep the teen’s predictable, first-person, present-tense narration from growing stale. Also driving the tension are Nathaniel’s July 3 deadline (or he’ll have to wait again until next year’s re-enactment of the battle) and the unyielding attention of Evan, the very much alive B&B groundskeeper for the summer, who offers to help with the case. But Lori’s not the only one looking for clues. The dubious (and very much stereotypical) elderly housekeeping couple, Old Dryden and his wife, Bertha, lend a Scooby Doo feeling to the story (think of the show’s oft-used phrase: “I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids”).
A squeaky-clean romance for the youngest end of YA or readers who want nothing objectionable when it comes to love stories. (Ghost story. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-42623-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Point/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2013
A promising introduction to a witchy new series.
The destinies of a witch and a witch hunter become entangled against the backdrop of 16th-century witch trials.
It’s 1591 in Trier, part of the Holy Roman Empire, and the increasingly brutal persecution of witches has led to the destruction of Fritzi’s coven and the murders of her family members. The only other survivor is her cousin Liesel, a younger witch with a unique power who is taken by the hunters’ kommandant as part of a perverse plan. Determined to rescue Liesel, Fritzi follows a path that collides with that of Otto, an up-and-coming captain of the hexenjägers, or witch hunters. Otto has a secret: He is working from the inside to bring down an institution he despises for very personal reasons. As Fritzi and Otto learn to trust each other while venturing deep into the Black Forest, they unveil bigger truths about magic and witches (and the goddesses they worship). Romance, magic, and fantasy intertwine with the real history of Trier’s witch trials as the worldbuilding juxtaposes paganism and Christianity in a story that explores belief, fate, power, accountability, and revenge. The story grows from the initial, slow-moving setup, becoming a more complex, evolving, dual-perspective tale. While the overly fast romantic bond between Otto and Fritzi feels unearned, and the villain’s nefarious plan is a bit cartoonish, overall, the story engages and entertains.
A promising introduction to a witchy new series. (content warnings, historical note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781728272160
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
Full of bites and intermittent sparks.
Four teens navigate a world ravaged by a rabies mutation.
Since her older brother, Cain, was injured during a supply run, Flora, who has OCD, has had to sharpen her survival skills to stay alive in a world brimming with flesh-hungry, zombielike rabids. Their mom died around the time of the initial outbreak, and their dad left months ago to scout out a cabin in Northern California, where the family spent numerous summers vacationing. A mysterious radio message suggests that their dad might still be alive, and Flora and Cain prepare to journey north, away from their home in an increasingly dangerous Los Angeles. The siblings run into two other survivors—their old friend Crisanta and her companion, Adán. While Crisanta and Adán keep the details of their history secret, Flora contends with her growing feelings for Crisanta, whose past romantic entanglement with Cain complicates matters. An uneasy alliance forms as the foursome travels through a rabid-infested California. Occasionally tense but rarely spine-chilling, this apocalyptic tale primarily focuses on the group’s gruesome road trip, with occasional chapters spotlighting a pre-outbreak excursion taken by Flora’s family. Marie leans heavily into juicy, grotesque gore, whose shock value dulls as the story goes on. An overreliance on genre tropes mars the otherwise fine character work. Flora and Cain are of Colombian and Irish descent. Adán, who’s trans, has Colombian and Mexican heritage, and Crisanta is cued Mexican American.
Full of bites and intermittent sparks. (Horror. 14-18)Pub Date: June 17, 2025
ISBN: 9781250352699
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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