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PROPHECY

From the Fractured Kingdom series , Vol. 1

A fast-paced trilogy opener full of intrigue and surprises.

A young woman unwillingly becomes entangled in a prophecy.

Persephone, who only knows a life of enslavement and scarcity, is confronted with a chicken thief who changes her life. Azriel plays on her sympathies, persuading her to hand over a chicken before purchasing Persephone from her owner. Handsome, blue-eyed Azriel believes Persephone can save his people, the nomadic Methusians, and fulfill a prophecy that would put one of them on the throne to “unite the five clans of Glyndoria and set things to right for all people.” However, dark-haired, violet-eyed Persephone doesn’t believe in the prophecy and dreams of escaping to freedom along with her devoted animal friends, a dog, a horse, and a hawk. Meanwhile, the Regent Mordesius, a clever and power-hungry adviser in the royal court, will stop at nothing, manipulating young King Finnius of Erok and torturing the innocent as part of his quest for Erok to rule over all of Glyndoria. He also hopes to heal his deformities (sustained in childhood when the rest of his family was burned alive) through the fabled Pool of Genezing. Romance and comedic dialogue and situations balance the bloodthirsty villainy, and the surprise twists will keep readers guessing. The third-person omniscient voice moves the engaging plot along. Unfortunately, Mordesius’ character arc and the brutal language used to describe his physical differences evoke ableist tropes. The main characters are cued white.

A fast-paced trilogy opener full of intrigue and surprises. (Fantasy romance. 14-18)

Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781774886076

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Tundra Books

Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025

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IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

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  • New York Times Bestseller

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

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IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

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