Paranormal romance done well, with a warning: When it comes to incantations, always read the fine print.
Second in a two-book series—but nicely readable as a stand-alone—after Ashes to Ashes (2013), this continues the dual-world adventures of teen Callie.
Torn between two lovers and caught between two worlds, Callie is recovering from the coma that thrust her into the Prism, where spirit-guide Thatcher wooed her and ghosts Reena and Leo played with the dark side, attempting to possess bodies of the living and displacing their souls, possibly permanently. Now Callie’s coming to terms with both strange truths (“one thing is for sure: My body may have been in that hospital bed, but my soul sure as hell wasn’t”) and normal teen dramas. Steadfast mortal boyfriend Nick isn’t quite as cozy as before, and poltergeist Reena is eyeing best friend Carson for a takeover. Callie’s return to the mortal world allows for new characters (Thatcher’s living sister; a potential boyfriend for Carson with a convenient knowledge of the occult) and introduces some mystery. Callie’s present-tense narration provides access to typical teen thoughts, high jinks and melodrama; “guilt ravages” her mind as she faces “the horrifying truth. A truth that I couldn’t prevent. A truth that I brought upon all of us.” The intriguing worldbuilding of the initial book is missing; though Callie retains the obliviousness that got her in trouble to begin with, her self-reflection is purely emotional. But with a watery homage to the movie Ghost, will anyone mind?
Paranormal romance done well, with a warning: When it comes to incantations, always read the fine print. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-207737-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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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