A mesmerizing, captivating Pacific Islands–inspired fantasy.
Given the opportunity to right a grave wrong from her past, a teen faces dangerous seadragon hunters in order to find the rare dragonfruit.
“In the old tales, it is written that the egg of seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow.” However, “Every wish demands a price.” As a young girl, Lady Hanaleiarihi was the beloved descendant of a distinguished bloodline and a page to Princess Oliana of Tamarind—but her father stole a dragonfruit meant for the ailing princess in order to save Hanalei’s life, and he died soon after. Now 18, she lives in exile, researching seadragons in the Nominomi Sea. After she warns some seadragons of dragoner hunters, the ruthless Capt. Bragadin captures Hanalei and forces her to help his crew find the dragonfruit. After escaping, she ends up back home on Tamarind with a chance to make things right, and she searches for a dragonfruit with childhood friend Prince Samahtitamahenele, Oliana’s son. But she knows they face more than just the dangers of the sea and dragoners: The dragonfruit once cost her everything, and she’ll do whatever it takes to save the ailing princess and help Sam. Inspired by the lore of the Pacific Islands, this enthralling fantasy has action, adventure, mythical creatures, and magic. The worldbuilding is wonderfully crafted, including the beautiful island of Tamarind, its matriarchal society, and the community members’ deep connections to one another and their ancestors, gods, and traditions.
A mesmerizing, captivating Pacific Islands–inspired fantasy. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780358272106
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
