Bites off more than it can chew.
In this debut by actor Revord, a posthumous postcard from her mother sends a teen across the Atlantic to complete a scavenger hunt—and she finds love along the way.
The note Avery Blackwell receives informs her that there’s a story she can “only finish in Brighton.” Avery had planned to be pre-med at Columbia, but she defers her entry and instead enrolls at the University of Brighton in England, which her mom, whom she recently lost to cancer, graduated from 25 years ago. On the train from London to Brighton, Avery sits beside Charlie, who impulsively pretends that Avery is her girlfriend because Leyla—the ex Charlie is trying to win back—is walking by. When Avery discovers that Charlie and Leyla are studying at the same university as her, she agrees to continue the dating charade. Avery and Charlie grow closer as Charlie helps Avery search for the nine clues that Avery’s mother has left hidden around the city, presumably leading to the time capsule every graduating University of Brighton student receives. But just as Avery starts to fall for Charlie, Charlie pulls away. The plot unsuccessfully balances the scavenger hunt with the love story, making the pacing uneven. The late timing of some big reveals and storyline shifts also contributes to the sense of disjointedness, and the U.K. setting is poorly developed. Avery and Charlie are cued white.
Bites off more than it can chew. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781250356345
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
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 delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization.
Ellis Mitchell has her whole life planned out.
Heading into senior year, Ellis plans to study hard and crush it at the journalism internship her media executive dad got her, paving the way for her acceptance to Columbia University. But then Ellis’ parents announce they’re separating—and that Ellis and her mom will be heading to Bramble Falls to stay with her aunt and cousin. Furious that her careful plans have been upended, Ellis struggles to settle into the small, charming Connecticut town even as everyone around her gears up for the annual Falling Leaves Festival. Ellis runs into Cooper Barnett—her long-ago summer friend from visits to Aunt Naomi and cousin Sloane—who’s grown up to be very handsome. But Cooper isn’t pleased to see Ellis; he’s cold and curt, and she has no idea why. Wilson’s YA debut is chock-full of charm. Readers will swoon at Cooper’s and Ellis’ developing feelings following their frosty reunion and sympathize with Ellis’ difficulties even as Bramble Falls grows on her. She must choose between small-town community ties and big-city ambitions—between what her dad wants for her and what she really wants. Ellis’ relationships with her mom, aunt, and cousin are lovely and aspirational. The depiction of Bramble Falls is evocative, and the book contains enough seasonal delights to satisfy even the most devoted pumpkin spice latte lover. Main characters are cued white.
A delightfully autumnal small-town romance buoyed by strong characterization. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665975209
Page Count: 352
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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