This exhilarating tale of survival and acceptance hits home even at its most supernatural.
A banshee living among humans evades threats and struggles with her deep connection to a boy in Alvarez’s YA paranormal-romance.
Seventeen-year-old Sadie Anderson’s life with her single mother, Rose, teems with hardships. They’re both banshees who take human form, keeping their identities secret from humans and enduring animosity from other “Paras” (like vampires and witches). When human hunters attack, they flee their Texas home and take refuge in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Sadie, who’s been deathly sick for the entire trip, believes she’ll find her “cure” in this town and, indeed, she gradually recovers. She and Rose let Great Barrington “claim” them and, as banshees do, they secretly take on human charges, delivering warning keens (a “mournful lament” or wail) for those soon to die and helping others manage overwhelming grief. Unfortunately, hunters in the area may have spotted the mother-daughter banshees. But Sadie’s greater concern is warmhearted Nathan, a teen with whom she shares an unquestionable bond. For a banshee who may have to run from hunters, that attachment means danger, though Sadie still hesitates to break it. Alvarez’s novel is jam-packed with curious backstory, from the banshees always ready to hightail it out of town (complete with go-bags) to Rose clocking in at over 300 years of age. The worldbuilding never slows down the impressive pace; it’s not long before Sadie and Rose are battling hunters and on the run. Even in Massachusetts, they’re constantly on guard, handling charges, and eying a Para ally or two. Sadie, who takes the narrative reins, engages in a refreshingly understated romance with winsome Nathan; her tentative friendships with local peers like Christi are just as impactful. The story, which kicks off a series, boasts a superb ending and sequel tease.
This exhilarating tale of survival and acceptance hits home even at its most supernatural.Pub Date: yesterday
ISBN: 9798988687955
Page Count: 398
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
