An exquisitely written, slow-burning romantic fantasy.
A wedding is the catalyst for the journey to restore the Jinn queen’s magic in this follow-up to All This Twisted Glory (2024).
Alizeh, the Jinn queen, and Cyrus, the king of Tulan, have reached their much-anticipated wedding day, a celebration that’s unfortunately darkened by conflict. Cyrus, newly bound by a blood oath and his vow to serve Alizeh, wrestles with his longing for her—the woman who’s sworn to kill him while seeking to best the devil Iblees and save his kingdom. Alizeh is similarly torn by her desire for the emotionally guarded Tulan leader. She also hopes to secure the survival of her people, something that Prince Kamran of Ardunia proposes he can deliver—if they enter a political marriage following Cyrus’ death. Facing encroaching threats, the trio, along with some of Alizeh’s friends, set forth on the quest to reclaim her magic. But the devil is watching—and waiting to strike. Flying on dragons’ backs and trekking through perilous mountains advances the plot, yet these sequences are more languorous than action-packed. Mafi’s masterful command of sensuous prose weaves in the yearnings of the star-crossed would-be lovers, but the length of these meditations makes for glacial pacing and adds little to the characterization established in previous entries. The secondary characters also lack the dimension and development of earlier books in the series. However, a stunning late twist creates promising opportunities for the next installment in this series set in a Persian-inspired world.
An exquisitely written, slow-burning romantic fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9780063315341
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Storytide/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 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
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
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