Knowing that Charlotte doesn’t really face obliteration disappointingly defuses the suspense for all but the most avid fans.
High-school student Elise begins experiencing some very odd things that make her feel like some stranger is beginning to occupy her body.
That’s not surprising in this sequel (that can’t stand alone) to A Need So Beautiful (2011), which chronicled the poignant situation of angel-like being Charlotte, who had the need to intervene in troubled people’s lives but at the ultimate cost of both her own existence and all memory of it. Now readers discover that she’s back, not only greatly diminishing the impact of the first tale, but also limiting the threat of any perilous choices she now faces as she occupies the hapless Elise’s body and gradually rediscovers herself. Hunky romantic interest Harlin also returns, having conveniently been drawn to the love of his life in her new form, but he faces handsome potential rival Abe, who draws Elise into some believable teen situations. Onika, the evil temptress housed in an immortal—but nonetheless badly decayed—body, haunts Elise’s dreams and then turns up in the (decomposed) flesh, as well. Elise’s rebellious older sister Lucy, initially angst-ridden about her own issues, adds to the now-predictable conflicts that Charlotte/Elise must resolve before Charlotte can move on to a potential third book in the series.
Knowing that Charlotte doesn’t really face obliteration disappointingly defuses the suspense for all but the most avid fans. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 26, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-200826-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 10, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2012
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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