A page-turning fantasy with a daring protagonist, thrilling mysteries, and romance.
In this debut YA epic fantasy from Filipina Canadian author Barbosa, a cursed girl must rescue her mother while competing to become the ruler of Tigang.
Seventeen-year-old Narra Jal has been searching for her mother, Shora Jal, since she went missing eight months ago. One month ago, Narra and her sister, Kuran, received word that Shora had been arrested. As the book opens, Narra returns to her birthplace, Bato-Ko—the capital city of Tigang—hoping to find a record of Shora’s arrest. Narra is successful, but Manong Alen, the Archivist who points her to Shora’s arrest record, becomes suspicious of her motives and follows her out of the city. Narra, who hides nearby, sees a magic-wielding Tigangi woman in royal garb intercept the clearly intimidated Archivist. Manong Alen calls the woman Arisa moments before she murders him. We learn that Arisa is the Astar, “a ceremonial position in the government,” though Narra isn’t yet aware of Arisa’s position or the role she will play in her future. Arisa calls a Guardian to move the body, and Narra is struck by intense déjà vu: She somehow knows the Guardian, who is named Teloh. The author depicts an intriguing romance between Narra and Teloh as Narra attempts to untangle her fragments of memory surrounding him. Narra devises a risky plan to rescue Shora: Enter the Sundo, a deadly competition in the glass fortress where, “once a decade, people from all over our country gather to select a new ruler,” learn her mother’s exact location within the fortress, and free her. Barbosa’s characters are vivid on the page. Narra, for example, is guarded but still compassionate. The author also excels at building suspense: “In a little over two weeks, the country of Tigang will crown its new ruler. This means in three days’ time, people will start dying.” The mysteries of Narra’s curse, Shora’s fate, and the hauntingly familiar Teloh will keep readers invested even before the Sundo begins.
A page-turning fantasy with a daring protagonist, thrilling mysteries, and romance.Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781649373366
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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