Unremarkable.
In the aftermath of an invasion, a newly crowned queen must save her kingdom—and her heart—in this follow-up to 2022’s Rise of the Vicious Princess.
Raised to rule, Charis understands leverage and how to manage the many factions within her kingdom, but now she’s in exile. The inhuman Rakuuna took over her kingdom, killed her parents, and kidnapped her guard and beloved, Tal, in the process revealing him to be a spy and prince from rival kingdom Montevallo. Charis, accompanied by her cousins, who are also her heirs, must find a weapon that can defeat the Rakuuna, outwit those who wish to see them fail, rally their allies, and accomplish all this with nothing but their wits. Featuring far less romance than the first volume and with much of the excitement relegated to the third act, this duology closer may not please all fans. Charis, whose political acumen and ruthless facade pretty much define her, nearly misses some significant villainous plotting by supposed allies; at key moments her success owes almost as much to chance as any intentional action on her part, other than a final heart-first decision that solves the romantic subplot. The world is racially diverse and largely egalitarian regarding gender roles; despite some subtle potential queer coding of dashing cousin Holland (who tends to steal any scene he’s in), all depicted relationships are heterosexual.
Unremarkable. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: April 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780062908995
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
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
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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