An endearing tale of love, family, and companionship.
In this romance, a teenager’s shadowy past may shatter his happy life with friends and the striking girl who’s more than a pal.
On his first day at a new high school, sophomore Bay Haven hits it off with Abby. Actually, she’s the outgoing one who strikes up a conversation, roping Bay into her tiny clique, which includes Sasha and Felix. While they’re all close, Bay and Abby’s relationship verges on something deeper, even if they try convincing themselves and others that they’re “just friends.” But Bay harbors a secret he’s too afraid to tell his pals. He and his older brother, Blaze, have escaped a homeland that rendered them orphans and are now unquestionably hiding from others. When Bay gets an inkling that “they” have found the brothers, Blaze insists the two pack their bags and go on the run again. Bay would rather stay with his treasured friends, despite the risks, for as long as the siblings possibly can. Although Knight drops big hints as to where Bay comes from, his backstory remains a mystery for much of the novel. Readers may wonder if he’s supernatural in origin or a mere human, albeit complicated. Still, the author’s powerful narrative themes drive this tale. Bay’s fabrications saddle him with guilt; he’s worried he won’t be accepted by Abby once the truth about his past comes out (“What would she think of him if he told her so much of what she knew about him was a lie”). There’s also a Christian theme that is at times more overt than other strands. Answers roll out in the final act, which puts Bay and his loved ones in potential danger. Nevertheless, friendship and romance are what truly ignite the engaging story. The four chums’ banter delights and invigorates, thanks in large part to Knight’s nimble dialogue. Perhaps best of all, Bay and Abby’s shared scenes overflow with romance, whether they suppress their feelings or not.
An endearing tale of love, family, and companionship.Pub Date: Feb. 29, 2024
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 219
Publisher: Roaming Pig
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner.
A young woman pursues a dangerous quest in late-1800s Egypt in this sequel to What the River Knows (2023).
After Inez Olivera was nearly murdered while assisting with her uncle’s archaeological expedition in Egypt, Tío Ricardo is eager to ship her home to safety in Argentina. But Inez burns with the need to stay and make sure that those who committed crimes against her family are held responsible. Unfortunately, the law precludes Inez, as a young unmarried woman, from accessing her inheritance (needed to fund her quest for justice) without her guardian uncle’s permission. Whitford Hayes, a former British soldier and her tío’s aide-de-camp, proposes marriage, which could solve her problems. But can Inez trust the secretive Whit? More danger and intrigue lurk at every turn in this exciting duology closer, which fully addresses the first entry’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The well-paced plot encompasses many fresh, new adventures and betrayals in this reimagined historical setting in which ancient magic abounds and not everyone or everything is what it seems. Even more captivating, however, is the complicated, nuanced love story between Whit and Inez. Their chemistry sizzles, but their relationship is achingly layered with both profound loyalty and deep deception. As their journey unearths new enemies and priceless archaeological finds, the duo must try to trust each other enough to survive.
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner. (cast of characters, map, timeline) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822994
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
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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