A modern, moody, and monstrously gothic experience.
Defying her duties may be the only way for a girl to discover the truth about herself in a world of monsters.
As a warden, Everline Blackthorn has vowed to protect the wall surrounding the Hallowed Lands from the wolflike vespertine, monsters left behind after the fall of evil god Nyx Severin. Though the distinctive dark blue eyes they share prove she’s the warden commander’s illegitimate daughter, her olive skin and dark hair betray her: Her late mother is regarded as a traitor for abandoning her post when the vespertine invaded. Everline fights not only the vespertine, but her mother’s legacy and her own lack of aptitude for magic, while Briar, her perfect half sister, who closely resembles their father, constantly reminds her of her failings. While out on patrol with Everline’s best friend, Lux, whom Briar is romantically involved with, the half sisters encounter a vespertine who’s walking upright. Seeking answers about both this anomaly and her own origins, Everline ventures onto the moorlands, betraying her warden vows. There she encounters Ravel, another humanlike vespertine, and she can’t help but find him strangely alluring. Some inconsistencies in worldbuilding and characterization are distracting, but the book’s strength and charm lie in its complete commitment to its brooding atmosphere, with stormy nights, bloody rituals, and animal magnetism. The growing sisterhood between Everline and Briar once they escape their father’s influence adds depth. Most characters are cued white.
A modern, moody, and monstrously gothic experience. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2023
ISBN: 9781250887733
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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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