Though it takes too long to get started, it delivers compelling drama in the end; whether that’s enough to keep fans engaged...
Rossi returns to her dystopia, in which main characters Aria and Peregrine fight for survival in the face of unpredictable forces (Under the Never Sky, 2012).
An orphan now living outside of her domed home, Aria is dependent on her new allies, the same people she once regarded as incorrigible savages. Having defeated his brother in the first book of the series, Perry is now Blood Lord, but he has yet to earn the fierce loyalty he yearns for from his people. Rossi splits her storytelling between each of these two characters’ perspectives, but the resulting narrative is less engaging than readers may expect. Reminders of what has already passed are sparse; readers may have trouble orienting themselves. Driving action is limited during the first half of the book, until an incident in which Aria falls victim to treachery. This critical moment precedes a second half that is rife with twists and turns. The emotional voltage ramps up too, as characters grapple with betrayal, loss and temptation. The relationship between Aria and Perry, however, soars on a nearly unbroken trajectory throughout the story, dampening the excitement for readers with its predictability.
Though it takes too long to get started, it delivers compelling drama in the end; whether that’s enough to keep fans engaged for Into the Still Blue (coming in 2014) is debatable. (Dystopian romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-207206-1
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 23, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2012
Somberly beautiful.
A girl goes in search of her missing sister and discovers a strange hidden world of dreams.
Corin, who’s 18 and dark-skinned, strives to protect her 12-year-old sister, Elly. But life as a thief is full of struggle, poverty, and loss, even without Corin’s avoidance of other relationships. Elly clings to the promise of fairy tales, like the one that says a princess lies sleeping in an underground castle after pricking her finger on a spindle. After the sisters fight and Elly runs off, Corin searches for her in Gyldan’s old network of tunnels—and finds the tale is true: Cursed Princess Amelia, golden-haired, with eyes like “sea glass” and porcelain skin, lies asleep, surrounded by flowers. Corin enters the princess’ dreamworld—the place “where your subconscious desires come to life.” She meets Briar Rose, Amelia’s alter ego, who experienced her share of sadness and wanted to fall asleep. Also in the dreamworld is green-skinned Malicine, the nonbinary demon who, despite having placed the curse of eternal slumber on Amelia, is mostly friendly. All three are running from things they can’t face, though the dreamworld may not give them a choice. Pham’s debut, a Sapphic reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty,” explores mental health and asks a lot of readers as it seesaws between emotional confrontations, time jumps, and scenes where one character inhabits the memories of another, all of which demand intense engagement. Still, the ending is earned as well as positive.
Somberly beautiful. (content note) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
ISBN: 9798217113026
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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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