A compelling mythology-based fantasy.
When the treacherous Shayla murders King Lohar, she becomes the Queen of Ambarvadi—and none of her subjects feel safe.
According to prophecy, the only ones who can end Queen Shayla’s brutal reign are Gul, the famed Star Warrior, and Cavas, Gul’s lover. Under the guidance of Subodh, a Pashu king dedicated to justice, Gul and Cavas train to use their magic together against Queen Shayla. But before they can hone their craft, Shayla sends her army to attack Gul, Cavas, Subodh, and the Legion of the Star Warrior, a group of women faithful to Gul and Amar, the rightful king of Ambarvadi. Cavas is captured, and Gul and her army are forced to flee through the dangerous desert. While Cavas is imprisoned in Shayla’s castle and tortured, Gul and her army remain determined to fulfill the prophecy and return Ambarvadi to its rightful owner—but can Gul do it without Cavas, who is her magical complement, lover, and best friend? The story is told through alternating perspectives, the most satisfying of which is Shayla’s, whose voice is the most distinctive. The final third of this novel offers the fastest pace and the most reveals. The richly built, South Asian–inspired world will be best appreciated by readers familiar with Hunted by the Sky (2020), the first book in the duology.
A compelling mythology-based fantasy. (map, glossary, author’s note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-31311-1
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart.
A surprise inheritance thrusts a small-town Nebraska teen into Manhattan’s elite society—and the orbit of a boy who’s determined to prove she doesn’t belong.
Julia Lowell’s life changes overnight when the 80-something man they know as Lou leaves his fortune to her family instead of his New York City relatives. Lou, who lived in a fishing cabin, was a regular customer of the Lowells’ small grocery store and became a family friend. To inherit, they must live in his Upper West Side home for at least six months, and Julia and her twin brother must attend Gardenwood Academy, a Gossip Girl–esque private school. Julia struggles to navigate her rude, privileged classmates—like Damion Rutledge. Unbeknownst to her, Lou—whose real name was Remington—was Damion’s beloved great-uncle. When a teacher assigns Damion to be Julia’s math tutor, he seizes the opportunity to search Uncle Remi’s house, which he believes is his by right, for evidence of the Lowells’ deceit. But as suspicion gives way to genuine feelings, Julia and Damion, who are cued white, question their assumptions about one another. Painter delivers her signature blend of banter, slow-burn chemistry, and emotionally grounded characters. Told in the leads’ alternating points of view, the familiar enemies-to-lovers setup is complicated by Damion’s secret and Julia’s past heartbreak. While the story follows a predictable path and resolution, the central relationship feels earned and heartfelt.
A classic rags-to-riches romantic comedy with irresistible chemistry and heart. (soundtrack) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9798347100217
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
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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