Highly enjoyable, engrossing escapism.
After Havenfall (2020), Maddie’s determined to fight the soul trade.
The defeated Silver Prince is still out there and therefore still a threat to the Inn at Havenfall—and so recovering Innkeeper Marcus is focusing on stabilizing the diplomacy of the realms’ peace summit and protecting the inn. By contrast, Maddie searches for leads on the soul trade (captured Solarians have parts of their souls put in silver objects to enchant them), including visiting her mother on death row to learn the full truth about when her adopted Solarian brother was abducted. The story frequently circles back to an old Fiordenkill fairy tale involving a set of armor made out of phoenix flame, a magical substance that enables wearers to safely travel to other realms. Though some plot elements rely on credibility-straining decisions (such as Maddie’s being allowed on a mission she’s not qualified for) and coincidences, the expanded settings, quick pacing, and compelling characters (with complicated emotional ties and suspiciousness) give readers plenty of incentive to suspend their disbelief and enjoy the ride. The romantic storyline is well incorporated into the main plot, which itself combines multiple threads smoothly for a climax that soundly handles an imminent problem and sets up for a changed status quo for a next book. While many characters are not described, most who are default to White.
Highly enjoyable, engrossing escapism. (introduction to the Adjacent Realms, bonus chapter) (Fantasy. 12-adult)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0382-4
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
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