An intricate, action-filled sequel with heart.
A gang of teens regroups to plan another heist—this time in Switzerland—in this sequel to Heiress Takes All (2024).
A year after the events of the first novel, Olivia Owens plans a second job, this time at Volenvell Castle, the home of her extraordinarily wealthy grandmother, Leonie Owens, whom she hasn’t seen in years—not since Leonie broke off contact with Olivia’s father. The castle is located in the Swiss Alps, and Olivia has been invited there to celebrate Leonie’s 70th birthday. Joining her are her adoring boyfriend, Jackson, and the other members of her crew: talented baker Deonte, incorrigible Kevin, and dashing Tom. The addition of Tom’s sister, Grace, makes up for the absence of Olivia’s own sister, Abigail, who’s a talented hacker. Olivia’s elaborate plan involves having one of her friends run interference while the rest find their way into a vault that holds gold bullion and diamonds. But they face serious challenges that Olivia hadn’t planned on. Olivia is both confident and vulnerable, and the over-the-top caper is grounded by her unsettled feelings toward her father and her grandmother. Romance fans will thrill to the idealized relationship between Olivia and Jackson, and the wedge that’s again driven between them, clearly setting the stage for a follow-up, will stir up readers’ feelings. Olivia, Jackson, and Kevin present white, Tom and Grace are implied Vietnamese, and the earlier book established that Deonte is Black.
An intricate, action-filled sequel with heart. (Thriller. 13-18)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316566797
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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
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
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