A suspenseful adventure that will engage readers to the final page.
Bacilieri presents a coming-of-age YA fantasy series starter about the transformative power of love.
Sixteen-year-old Kiera Vandyer’s mother endured years of poverty and despotism to keep her daughter safe, but when the young woman takes a bold risk to improve her family’s position, she invites dangerous magic into their lives. In exchange for a diamond bracelet that she could use to buy a stable home, Kiera escorts six wealthy classmates to Etabon—a once-uninhabited land into which all the world’s magic was banished 150 years ago. Now, Etabon’s borders are open to those with enough wealth to access the decadent spectacle of an annual festival that includes violent tournaments. Notably, most attendees are magically transformed into animals when they enter Etabon’s gates, and Kiera discovers that her magical form is a rare, extraordinary lynx. So unique is the magic that courses through Keira that her arrival attracts the attention of Eugene Hallowfeld, a corrupt wizard known as the Ascendant One. He uses threats to force her to fight in the tournaments. When her courage and mercy become a rallying cry for revolution, Hallowfeld raises the stakes, employing deceit and dark magic to threaten all Kiera loves. Bacilieri’s novel is fast-paced and wildly imaginative, which results in a consistently compelling read. Kiera is a fresh, modern hero who grows into her new role as a shapeshifter. Coming to terms with her new physical strength, Kiera learns to balance defense with compassion, discovering great power in the process. She also begins to understand the fluidity of her own emotions as well as her emerging romantic love for Attalin, a mermaid trapped by Hallowfeld’s plans. Readers will find themselves swept along to a cliffhanger conclusion as Kiera heads toward a destiny that may save the dying planet.
A suspenseful adventure that will engage readers to the final page.Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 979-8-9886618-2-5
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Crescent Ink Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder.
Despite living her happily-ever-after, Evangeline can’t help but strive to recover her lost memories in this trilogy closer.
Evangeline Fox awakens in the strong arms of Prince Apollo, her apparent husband, who swears to protect her from the evil Lord Jacks, who stole her memories. Unfortunately, Evangeline remembers nothing of her long and complex journey in the Magnificent North or her past romances; only the pain in her heart lets her know something is missing. At Wolf Hall, Evangeline seeks ways to unlock her missing memories, including enlisting the help of a mysterious guard named Archer, even as Apollo’s behavior becomes more and more controlling. The pacing and plot feel stagnant at first, with Evangeline remembering things in flashes and moments of brief feelings, but things finally pick up once her memories return. With the point of view rotating among Evangeline, Apollo, and Jacks, there are few narrative surprises, but it’s intriguing to delve into the minds of an antagonist and a Fate. The story’s inclusion of the legendary Valors and the fantastical fairy-tale setting are unfortunately overshadowed by the love triangle’s dramatic tug-of-war romance. Likewise, the book’s various themes—power, hope, stories, and the nature of humanity—are of interest but handled in an unfocused way. The conclusion, at least, is satisfying, and it hints at future tales set in this world. Evangeline, Jacks, and Archer read white; Apollo has dark hair and olive skin.
Frustratingly slow and lacking in magical wonder. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781250851208
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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