A thoughtful if uneven debut that explores addiction, motherhood, and family.
In this fantasy inspired by the Moroccan folktale “The Jealous Mother,” a 17-year-old midwife’s apprentice possesses forbidden magic.
Shuika, whose name means little thorn, goes by Shay, and lives in the city of Nezjar. She’s been raised by the midwife Ghita since her mother, who was addicted to Snow, died in childbirth. The drug temporarily activates Shawafa, an affinity-based magic all women possess—which is illegal to wield. Through her mother’s addiction, Shay inherited forbidden hizoura magic. Rumors that her mother may still be alive drive Shay to seek the truth, and she finds her alive, though still struggling with addiction and living in a slum. While trying to connect and help her reject Snow, Shay becomes entangled in trouble thanks to a stolen talisman. Stranded in Ard Al-Ghul, a realm of monsters, she’s saved by unlikely allies and set on a path to free “women’s natural magic”—and herself. The novel’s strength lies in its exploration of fraught maternal bonds, substance abuse, abandonment, and chosen family. Shay’s longing for affection and her tentative connection with a boy named Shadi offer emotional depth. The overall narrative arc at times loses focus, some magical elements remain underexplored, and modern-sounding dialogue occasionally disrupts the otherwise immersive fantasy setting. But cultural details and spiritual practices evocative of Islamic traditions ground the story, and folkloric epigraphs prefacing most chapters help round out the worldbuilding.
A thoughtful if uneven debut that explores addiction, motherhood, and family. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: May 19, 2026
ISBN: 9781682638378
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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