All things considered, it’s a disappointing denouement.
The third and final installment of the Otherkin series reunites readers with Dez and the other shifters at Morfael’s school for otherkin just six weeks after their bittersweet triumph over Ximon and the Tribunal (Othermoon, 2013).
Despite a passionate new love, Dez can’t seem to shake the feelings of guilt over Siku’s tragic death and Caleb’s disappearance. Torn between her love for two brothers and the desire to know with certainty who she truly is and where she belongs, Dez once again finds herself battling demons from the Othersphere and confronting newfound and sometimes difficult truths about her biological family. Of the three books in the series, this is by far the weakest. Steamy love scenes are few and far between. Intriguing relationships, like the burgeoning lesbian love affair between London and Amaris, are never explored in any sort of meaningful or satisfying manner. And after spending the two previous novels loving to hate the deliciously evil Ximon, readers anxious for one final, climactic confrontation with the leader of the Tribunal will be left disappointed. While fans of the series may be left longing for the novel that could have been, Dez’s quest to belong remains an intriguing plotline, and there are enough action sequences and otherworldly adventures to keep readers from giving out halfway through.
All things considered, it’s a disappointing denouement. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7582-9238-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Kteen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2013
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
BOOK REVIEW
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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