Will leave readers clamoring for more.
The newly discovered tomb of a long-dead shape-shifter that may contain a powerful and dangerous treasure draws the interest of four young people, each with their own motives for finding it.
Herbal healer Anwei has not given up on hunting for her twin brother’s killer, and now she finally has a lead on his murderer. Knox, her friend and partner in crime—they are thieves for hire—is a runaway from the Devoted, living in fear of discovery. The Devoted hunt Basists like Anwei, regarding them as wicked and inhuman. Meanwhile, Knox’s former best friend, Lia, struggles with the weight of her oaths to the Devoted and the heavy sacrifices they have required. Archaeology student Mateo searches for a cure for his fatal wasting sickness, unsure whether to believe legends of curses that follow from interfering with a shape-shifter’s burial place. Their paths lead them together, to long-forgotten secrets that may hold the key to what they seek. The worldbuilding, which includes a detailed cosmology, is strong without overreliance on exposition, and the setting’s magic system is well described without getting bogged down in minutiae. The characters are richly detailed, and the prose invites rereading of earlier passages after each flashback or revelatory conversation. The dramatic tension builds to a final plot twist that will delight fans of intricate, complex fantasies. Characters in this world have varied physical appearances; some naming conventions and other story elements seem to draw inspiration from diverse real-world cultures.
Will leave readers clamoring for more. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6611-1
Page Count: 400
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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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