So cute.
A charmingly cheesy fairy-tale romance.
With no legal means of inheriting the family estate after her dear father’s passing, a young woman disguises herself as a man. The newly minted Count Camembert moves to the capital city, Fondue, with trusted servant Feta and tries to keep a low profile. About to go bonkers from boredom, Cam attends a “no-furs” ball hosted by activist Crown Princess Brie. The two immediately collide and bond over fashion. Brie later invites Cam to a private brunch with friends (including delicious cheesy sandwiches) to launch a more targeted cruelty-free fashion event. The two are soon smitten with one another, but Cam knows she can’t get too attached. Eventually, truths come out and more than one heart goes on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. This story is such a joy—a spectacular, feel-good, comfy romance. Olive-skinned Cam, with her flowing black locks, is suave—but also, in Brie’s own words, “an airhead with the attention span of a worm.” In other words, she’s adorable. Brie, with her curly blond bob and pale, rosy skin, is conscientious and beautiful, and she will capture readers’ hearts as quickly as she does Cam’s. Plenty of roses and sparkles à la shōjo or yuri manga and cute, exaggerated facial expressions make the watercolor-style images endearing. The setting is an interesting mix of clothes and architecture that evoke the 18th century along with some modern technology and colloquialisms that add to the humor.
So cute. (Graphic romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9780316538725
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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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