Entertaining enough.
This conclusion to the Firelight trilogy continues the conflict between a dragon-girl and those who hunt her kind.
Jacinda is a draki, a being that can morph from human form into a fire-breathing, flying dragonlike creature. She has her own society but wants to escape it with her human boyfriend, Will, who comes from a family that hunts the draki. This installment begins with Jacinda intentionally caught and imprisoned in an underground facility in which rather nasty scientists do research on draki. She plots with Will and her enforced mate, Cassian, to escape. Once the attack commences, exciting scenes ensue as the group fights their way out with a new, dangerous draki in tow. Jordan keeps the focus mostly on action even as she weaves in the forbidden-romance elements required by this genre, although the romantic conflict was mostly resolved in the previous installment. Plenty of rivalries among Jacinda and other draki spice things up. Two new characters, Deghan, the long-imprisoned draki, and little Lia appeal, although the story allows Lia’s fate to dangle unresolved. Chase scenes, near-captures and a late-game betrayal or two keep the narrative moving. Except for the subplot regarding Lia, everything comes to an ending that will satisfy readers. New readers would best start with the beginning of the trilogy.
Entertaining enough. (Paranormal suspense. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-193512-1
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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
A promising premise that’s lacking in spice.
A fall romance with a New England backdrop.
Autumn leaves aren’t the only stunning thing to hit the town of Briar Glen—so has good-looking new boy Jack Harper, and Lucy Kane is enamored with both. Her new crush is the perfect thing to take her mind off the fact that Java Junction, part of a global chain, is opening across the street from Cup o’ Jo, Lucy’s mother’s coffee shop, where they take pride in baking everything from scratch and avoiding artificial ingredients. But there’s more than coincidence in the timing of the arrivals of both Jack and Java Junction: The Harper family moved to Briar Glen specifically to open this franchise location, which will bring competition that threatens Cup o’ Jo. This scenario has the makings of a perfect autumnal adversaries-to-lovers romance, but the writing lacks charm and chemistry. Jack seems to be completely enamored with Lucy, but her character isn’t sufficiently developed to warrant his attention. Lucy’s friends are continually supportive of her but have few distinguishing characteristics, and the story is weakened by confusing timelines and repetitive elements. The resolution relies upon successes that come too easily and do not feel earned. Major characters are cued white.
A promising premise that’s lacking in spice. (Romance. 12-16)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781339030753
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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