The Irish-pantheon premise injects originality into otherwise-familiar tropes.
A homeless, white 18-year-old learns she’s a demigoddess and must choose allegiances.
When Sage is drugged at a party, she starts seeing odd features on fellow revelers: wings and fangs. In her altered state, she starts manifesting strange, fiery powers before a new arrival—a handsome, bronze-skinned Irishman named Faelan—helps her through this experience and informs her that her true mother was the goddess Brighid, making Sage a demigoddess. She’s swept off the streets and into a complex supernatural world based on Irish cosmology, where she’s offered protection and help controlling her abilities. Unless readers are taken in by the premise or connect early with Sage, the book risks losing them due to a sluggish pace, as worldbuilding exposition repeats itself, adding just a little new information each time, and Sage dreams repeatedly of her long–cast-out, infamous older sister. The pace and intrigue pick up after Sage’s formal Introduction to the supernatural world, the period of time in which the houses of the five main gods and goddesses must vie with one another for her loyalty—and power. This contest takes the form of a love triangle among Sage, Faelan, and the dark prince from House Morrígan. Aside from Sage, female characters tend to be vapid, treacherous, or both. Eventually, all the exposition pays off and the heroes set up for their next moves—in the next book.
The Irish-pantheon premise injects originality into otherwise-familiar tropes. (Paranormal romance. 14-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5039-4675-0
Page Count: 414
Publisher: Skyscape
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart.
A surprise inheritance thrusts a small-town Nebraska teen into Manhattan’s elite society—and the orbit of a boy who’s determined to prove she doesn’t belong.
Julia Lowell’s life changes overnight when the 80-something man they know as Lou leaves his fortune to her family instead of his New York City relatives. Lou, who lived in a fishing cabin, was a regular customer of the Lowells’ small grocery store and became a family friend. To inherit, they must live in his Upper West Side home for at least six months, and Julia and her twin brother must attend Gardenwood Academy, a Gossip Girl–esque private school. Julia struggles to navigate her rude, privileged classmates—like Damion Rutledge. Unbeknownst to her, Lou—whose real name was Remington—was Damion’s beloved great-uncle. When a teacher assigns Damion to be Julia’s math tutor, he seizes the opportunity to search Uncle Remi’s house, which he believes is his by right, for evidence of the Lowells’ deceit. But as suspicion gives way to genuine feelings, Julia and Damion, who are cued white, question their assumptions about one another. Painter delivers her signature blend of banter, slow-burn chemistry, and emotionally grounded characters. Told in the leads’ alternating points of view, the familiar enemies-to-lovers setup is complicated by Damion’s secret and Julia’s past heartbreak. While the story follows a predictable path and resolution, the central relationship feels earned and heartfelt.
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart. (soundtrack) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9798347100217
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 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
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