A page-turning escapist dream filled with romance and magic.
A hunter of magic-stealing reapers aspires to find her parents’ murderer in this duology opener from bestselling Australian author Noni.
On Elverdine Isle, ellixen is needed to fuel the four obsidian obelisks that protect the city of Aravell from the lethal blackmist. Reapers, who are addicted to this magic, siphon off ellixen to increase their own power—mostly taking from children, who possess more than adults. People need only a drop of ellixen to live, so during the Impartation ceremony, children under age 14 donate nearly all their ellixen to the obelisks, nearly eliminating the risk of a deadly reaper attack. Seventeen-year-old reaper hunter Viridia Solace, who’s pale, with silver-streaked red hair and lavender eyes, learns that Reeve Ashton, part of the elusive Reaper Priest’s inner circle, has been captured. Desperate to confront the Priest and avenge his murder of her parents seven years ago, Viri infiltrates the prison where charismatic “golden-tanned” Reeve is being held. The two have a complex history, and he promises to answer Viri’s questions about the Priest in return for help escaping. Kidnappings, shocking twists, and romance unfold against the backdrop of imaginative worldbuilding, making for an utterly engrossing tale. Noni artfully portrays Viri’s conflicted feelings of attraction to and mistrust of Reeve, who expresses himself with dry wit. Revelations about their past add depth, beautifully heightening their already charged passions. A particularly vicious surprise sets the scene for the sequel.
A page-turning escapist dream filled with romance and magic. (map, glossary) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
ISBN: 9798217033454
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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