A cheerful tone and clever premise let down by uneven execution.
A superintelligent humanoid escapes from the university lab where she was made—and gets a job in a coffee shop.
At Inkcap, Ruby sees all her tasks as systems to understand. Most of them, such as sweeping up spilled coffee beans, are simple systems with easily measurable success conditions. Humans, however, are systems that defy reason, so Ruby repeatedly revises her approach to finding their success conditions—in other words, what makes them happy. After observing a meet-cute between customers, Ruby begins to carefully orchestrate romances. Her targets include Mira, her coworker and best friend, and the hot “Comic Book Girl” who frequents Inkcap. While the scientists who created Ruby attempt to track her down, her own romance with the stranger “Decaf Americano” might prove to be her downfall. The supporting characters, while lightly developed, are delightful; a romantic subplot about two eccentric Inkcap patrons offers welcome pauses from the central narrative. But the queer romance at the book’s conclusion feels tacked on and leaves a loose end. Irreverent humor abounds, whether in the 20-foot-long tardigrade designed to control the population of squirrels on campus or in the recurring references to Mira’s constantly shifting college major. The full-color illustrations are pastel-forward, matching this graphic novel’s sprightly romantic tone. Ruby has light skin and pinkish hair, Mira has peach-toned skin and brown hair, and there’s some diversity in the secondary cast.
A cheerful tone and clever premise let down by uneven execution. (Graphic science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781534495869
Page Count: 208
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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