A flat, low-impact, plot-driven adventure.
In this second series entry, three Alliance soldiers navigate a treacherous maze of twisted and deadly experiments to escape the clutches of an unknown enemy.
Zero (a Camerawoman), Spike (a Speakerman), and Ray (a TV Man) awaken alone in rooms they don’t recognize with no memories of how they got there. Unable to broadcast, teleport, or connect with their allies, they at first have no idea if the Alliance is testing them or if they’re behind enemy lines, prisoners of some new Skibidi Toilet machinations. Each time they conquer one challenge—whether it’s crumbling floor tiles, crushing walls, or decoys impersonating captured allies—they find themselves confronting yet more sinister tests designed to break their spirits as much as their physical limits. It soon becomes clear, although none of them can understand who or why, that someone is watching and manipulating them to see how far they’ll go to escape and survive. This novel set in the world of the Skibidi Toilet web series alternates among the perspectives of the three leads with interludes from the point of view of a two-dimensionally malevolent antagonist. While the narration references characters and events from the first book, the conflict this time is a self-contained incident with limited impact on the overarching Skibidi Toilet war. The initial suspense and exciting dangers the isolated protagonists face drag into monotonous action coupled with brooding rumination and no clear sense of forward momentum.
A flat, low-impact, plot-driven adventure. (Post-apocalyptic. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9798225012342
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic.
An 18-year-old’s encounter with the pale, mysterious, golden-eyed Starmaker transforms her from hamlet girl to magical apprentice.
Aurora Finch discovers she possesses the rare ability to channel sunlight—magic essential to the survival of snow-covered Reverie, her mountain village, “with peaks so high the Sun [cannot] rise above them.” Now she faces a harsh choice: Leave everything behind to train at the Starmaker’s enchanted castle or die as the untapped magic destroys her from within. Griffin excels at worldbuilding; the story is filled with elements and characters that feel both whimsical and real, from Tilly, a living snow angel who’s searching for herself, to Constance, an immortal rabbit. As the antagonism between Aurora and the cold, centuries-old Starmaker melts, their love story, which forms the heart of this tale, crackles with tension. Aurora emerges as a compelling hero—stubborn and brave—who refuses to be diminished by the overwhelming responsibilities thrust upon her. The romantic storyline proves both strong and emotionally involving as the author brings fresh twists to familiar elements, exploring the power of stories and how they shape our understanding of the world. White-presenting Aurora faces a devastating truth that creates urgency and heightens the emotional stakes that drive the story to its conclusion. This satisfying, sparkling fantasy will capture hearts with its well-developed setting and captivating love story.
A delicious winter romance that shimmers with classic fairy-tale magic. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9781728256184
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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