A fun, fast-paced adventure with surprises around every turn.
In Penate’s YA novel, 13 strangers embark on a journey to connect with a parallel universe where they hope to harness the power of time travel.
When the group first meets at a classified location deep in the Brazilian jungle, each person carries a skeleton key from one of 12 ancient families. In these early sections, Penate’s voice is simple and direct, as if the author is telling the story around the campfire. The designees are stingy with their back stories, but even as they wait for the group to fully assemble, seeds of conflict are planted. Sergei and Jeremy soon wrestle for the leadership role, while Marian isn’t sure she can trust Rafiki after he lies about his name. Although the tension develops unevenly as the story goes on—a unanimous voting system solves most of their conflicts—readers are rewarded when the characters pool their talents to solve riddles. The action clips along at a rapid pace once the group leaves base camp, as their quest divides into smaller tasks spread out among locations from China to Spain. In each challenge, the teammates manipulate magical objects such as golden plates, medallions and boxes to either advance to the next step or, if they fail, to start again—a format that’s as satisfying as completing levels of a video game. Some items hold special powers, like a spyglass that illuminates the dark; others are inscribed with riddles for the group to solve or can be used to barter with people they encounter along the way. The appeal of the objects isn’t in their value, but in the ways they test the characters, who reveal a captivating array of supernatural abilities as they tackle each task. Hassan, for example, uses his telekinetic powers to direct an unstable arrow to its target; Minnie, who can blend into her surroundings like a chameleon, carries a laundry bag full of treasure past armed guards without being seen. Just when the journey’s end is in sight, the group dynamics take a turn for the worse, and the teammates question the person holding the 13th key; what they learn opens the door for a sequel.
A fun, fast-paced adventure with surprises around every turn.Pub Date: April 8, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4959-9178-3
Page Count: 298
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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