A seriously fun concoction of tragedy and melodrama.
In this second book of Wolf’s (Bring Me Their Hearts, 2018, etc.) fantasy/romance series, a spirited, undead teen suffers the consequences of earlier perfidy.
Nineteen-year-old Zera has revealed her true form. She’s “Heartless”—an unkillable human puppet in thrall to a witch. Her task was to take Prince Lucien of Cavanos’ heart, but instead, she fell in love with him; saving him, yes, but only after deceiving and betraying him. Now that she’s failed in her mission, Zera is expecting death when her witch severs the connection between them. Instead, she finds herself beholden to a new mistress—Lucien’s sister, Princess Varia, who’s returned from the dead and is determined to enforce a peace between humans and witches. Varia seeks the Bone Tree, a peripatetic talisman through which she will command an army of valkerax (gargantuan wyrms). To find the Bone Tree, Zera—on Varia’s behalf—must find out its location from a half-crazed valkerax. Yet if she does, what further pain may befall Lucien? Zera resolves to keep the prince safe, so no matter the cost to herself, she holds him at a distance. Despite her duplicity, Lucien still has feelings for her. If she does Varia’s bidding, Zera will be made whole again—and is any love worth more than that? After the cliffhanger at the end of the last installment, Wolf resumes her story with aplomb in a continuation that’s both faithful to the first novel yet also a clear progression. The plot is twisty but not contrived, and the subject matter, though emotionally heavy, never feels as such, as it’s lightened by Zera’s confident humor and breezy, present-tense narration. She’s a strong protagonist who’s at once willful and selfless and buoyed by an irrepressible bent for badinage. Wolf introduces some new characters in this book, and they take delight in Zera’s sassy nature, just as readers will.
A seriously fun concoction of tragedy and melodrama.Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-375-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An effective combination of traditional and modern YA elements.
A hilarious, angst-ridden YA novel about a teenage girl acclimating to life at a new high school by Griffin (Beauty and the Wiener: A Rescue Dog Romance, 2017, etc.).
Adrianna Bottom was bullied relentlessly at her old school in Seattle, and she’s determined not to experience the same fate at Beverly Hills High. But she’s off to an inauspicious start. As if having the surname Bottom weren’t enough, her father is a self-proclaimed “Bathroom Baron” who made his fortune selling novelty bathroom accessories. Her parents are parlaying their newfound wealth into a reality TV series starring Adrianna—whom they call the “Porcelain Princess.” On her first day of school, she accidentally exposes her Wonder Woman–underwear-clad bottom to her entire biology class, a feat that’s also filmed for the reality show. She does manage to meet three new people, however: a beautiful girl named Harper; Harper’s ex, Lennox; and the geeky Kevin. Harper immediately warns Adrianna of the social suicide that would result from fraternizing with Kevin, who, among other nerdy pursuits, spends his weekends doing fantasy live-action role-playing with friends. Adrianna soon finds herself leading a dual existence—hanging out with Harper and other popular kids during weekdays and role-playing (behind a mask) with Kevin on weekends. Adding to her woes is reality show producer Corbin, who’s determined to do anything—no matter how humiliating or socially disastrous for Adrianna—to garner a larger viewing audience. This book embraces some traditional aspects of YA literature—including a romance and a quest to be popular—but it avoids trendy dystopian or paranormal aspects. Griffin perfectly captures the characters’ adolescent angst, and many readers will relate to Adrianna’s dilemma—she wants to do what’s right, but she’s so emotionally scarred by past bullying that she feels crippled by indecision. Indeed, the author’s characterizations of Adrianna, Kevin, Harper, and even Lennox make this YA novel transcendent. The addition of live-action role-playing and reality television keeps the story feeling contemporary, and there’s just enough bathroom humor to add laughs without being too heavy-handed.
An effective combination of traditional and modern YA elements.Pub Date: March 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-63375-593-2
Page Count: 354
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Feb. 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A bloody, action-stuffed rescue mission in the supernatural world of the Fae.
In Book 2 of Horowitz’s (Shattered Blue, 2015) YA fantasy series, The Light Trilogy, a teen’s battle with brutal metaphysical forces develops her inner skills.
Teenager Noa Sullivan and her two Fae companions, brothers Callum and Judah Forsythe, dive into a collapsing Portal that allows travel between Monterey, California, and the world of Aurora, home to the Fae. They find themselves in an alternate universe where Noa must develop her own innate strengths—human and nonhuman—to rescue her little sister, Sasha. Noa’s love for Sasha spurs her to battle mystical forces in Aurora, and the Forsythe brothers’ belief in Sasha’s paranormal powers, unusual even among the Fae, causes them endless conflict over the best way to keep her safe. The new, cruel ruler of Aurora imprisons Callum and Judah, and Noa persists in her hunt for Sasha, encountering multiple physical trials along the way and assembling a posse of girl helpers. The action is relentless. Noa’s physical trials are central to her character development—the tasks hone her latent abilities to master her physical environment and are often grisly. Noa sustains a shattered shoulder, plummets down a chute so violently she assumes she’s dead, and is “slammed against one wall and then another” by a flood’s rushing waters. The reader may feel as pummeled as Noa as the gore and Fae body count pile up: “The rush of Fae slipped and fell, crashing through the now blood-and-flesh slopped spikes.” However, the strong, active storyline and deft worldbuilding help override potential reader fatigue, and YA fans will be hooked by Noa’s badassery.
A bloody, action-stuffed rescue mission in the supernatural world of the Fae.Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9745956-7-2
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Papaloa Press
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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