Overall, predictable but still imaginative, formulaic but still suspenseful.
What’s a dragon-girl to do when she’s in love with a boy who hunts dragons?
In this first sequel to Jordon’s Firelight (2010), Jacinda and her family return to the hidden mountain home of the draki “pride.” Her twin sister, Tamra, finally manifests into a draki that can cloud humans’ minds, making her as valuable to the pride as Jacinda with her fire-breathing ability. However, their mother and, especially, Jacinda face punishment for the infractions they’ve committed. Jacinda decides to take her lumps, try to fit in again and forget her heartthrob Will—until Will shows up in town (you knew they’d meet again somehow). Meanwhile, Jacinda also finds herself reluctantly attracted to Cassian, the young draki prince Tamra loves. Although the romantic entanglements fit the usual romance-novel pattern, the author manages to keep suspense high with thrilling fights and several escapes. Additionally, she touches on a theme of freedom versus authoritarianism within the essentially dictatorial draki society. Despite the fact that it’s the second in a series, this installment stands on its own quite well. The author manages to explain the essentials from the previous plot without taking up too much space. Staple genre plot points abound, such as the impossibly handsome love interest and star-crossing impediments to love. Characterizations work well despite this.
Overall, predictable but still imaginative, formulaic but still suspenseful. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-193510-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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
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
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