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THE VALKYRIE'S DAUGHTER

A full-bodied YA escapade about an adventurer searching for a cause that adult readers will enjoy as much as teens.

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In this YA fantasy series starter, loosely based on Norse mythology, an orphan receives answers to her questions about who she is—but doesn’t like everything she discovers.

Warner tells the story of stable girl Sigrid,who lives in the kingdom of Vanaheim. Sigrid’s constant companion is her speedy horse, Hestur, but she dreams of becoming one of the junior valkyries, who look down on her as she attends to their steeds—which, unlike hers, have wings. Sigrid gets a chance to showcase her abilities when Night Elves and a group of enemy valkyries attack Vanaheim and steal a magical relic called the Eye of Hnitbjorg. Sigrid battles with valkyrie Mariam, which leads to the accidental death of Mariam’s horse, Aesa. During their struggle, Sigrid grabs the Eye and momentarily views her own fate, seeing herself in the hellish underworld of Helheim, leading the valkyries and riding Odin’s eight-legged steed, Sleipnir. To fulfill her destiny, Sigrid frees the captive Mariam and persuades her to lead her to Helheim, whose queen possesses Sleipnir. Along the way, they add an ally: a Night Elf runt named Fisk. Sigrid gets answers about her heritage on her quest and must decide how best to use her newfound information and power to protect her people. Warner, who admits in her author’s note that she found a scarcity of information about some aspects of Viking society, deserves credit for creating an inclusive world, including a budding romantic relationship between Sigrid and Mariam. Sigrid is an admirable protagonist, remaining grounded even as she attempts to improve her station in life; her compatriots Mariam and Fisk also seek better lives and to escape difficult situations. Warner also makes the most of the Norse landscape, colorfully describing each of the various sections that the trio visits. The book feels lengthy at more than 400 pages, but, to be fair, it takes time to travel through nine different realms, and it all results in a colorful adventure.

A full-bodied YA escapade about an adventurer searching for a cause that adult readers will enjoy as much as teens.

Pub Date: July 26, 2022

ISBN: 978-1649371485

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Review Posted Online: May 11, 2022

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POWERLESS

From the Powerless Trilogy series , Vol. 1

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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THE CRUEL PRINCE

From the Folk of the Air series , Vol. 1

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.

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Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.

Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017

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