A touching, utterly satisfying conclusion.
The last installment of the Extraordinaries trilogy is everything a devoted fan could want: dramatic, action-packed, sentimental, and steamy.
It’s the summer before Nicholas Bell’s senior year of high school, and though he really should be working on his college admissions essays, he’s got other priorities, like making out with his incredibly handsome boyfriend, Seth Gray. Oh, and also training to become one of the vigilante superheroes called Extraordinaries. Thankfully Nick’s got an amazing support group in his friends and their families, including Seth, aka the fire-powered Extraordinary Pyro Storm; the self-proclaimed, pun-ready Dad Squad; Miss Conduct, another Extraordinary who happens to be a drag queen—and his mother, who’s always been there for him. Nick has taken on his mother’s mantle of Guardian, honing his still unsteady telekinetic powers. This book is jammed with plot twists, making it a real page-turner. Klune also doesn’t shy away from incorporating real-life events into his story, such as discussions related to racial bias in policing and the extremism of a wealthy businessman who is running for public office. Nick and Seth have several open, practical conversations about the next physical steps in their relationship, modeling healthy communication and consent in a queer relationship. The lead protagonists are White; the supporting cast includes racial diversity.
A touching, utterly satisfying conclusion. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: July 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-20373-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Tor Teen
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
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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BOOK REVIEW
Necessary, important, honest, loving, and true.
A gut-wrenching look at how addiction affects a family and a town.
Emory Ward, 16, has long been invisible. Everyone in the town of Mill Haven knows her as the rich girl; her workaholic parents see her as their good child. Then Emory and her 17-year-old brother, Joey, are in a car accident in which a girl dies. Joey wasn’t driving, but he had nearly overdosed on heroin. When Joey returns from rehab, his parents make Emory his keeper and try to corral his addictions with a punitive list of rules. Emory rebels in secret, stealing small items and hooking up with hot neighbor Gage, but her drama class and the friends she gradually begins to be honest with help her reach her own truth. Glasgow, who has personal experience with substance abuse, bases this story on the classic play Our Town but with a twist: The characters learn to see and reach out to each other. The cast members, especially Emory and Joey, are exceptionally well drawn in both their struggles and their joys. Joey’s addiction is horrifying and dark, but it doesn’t define who he is. The portrayal of small-town life and its interconnectedness also rings true. Emory’s family is White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast, and an important adult mentor is gay. Glasgow mentions in her author’s note that over 20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse; she includes resources for teens seeking help.
Necessary, important, honest, loving, and true. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-70804-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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PERSPECTIVES
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