A treasure of a tale with a captivating hero.
A teenage pirate discovers her true heritage in this fantasy.
Amare Bellamy wants to run the family business. The orphaned daughter of the infamous pirate Jaguar James, she was brought up by her father’s first mate, Uncle Omar, on the Moonshadow. Growing up as the only girl in a crew of scallywags has allowed Amare to truly learn what it means to be a pirate, but her overprotective uncle has mostly kept her locked away from prying eyes—and land. But none of that matters because, at 17 years old, Amare is ready to prove her worth as a pirate and as the future, rightful captain of the Moonshadow. But when a long-lost treasure chest is found, Amare unleashes a veritable Pandora’s box by unlocking its secrets—starting with uncovering the truth about herself. Amare is not a pirate: She is the lost princess of the Sunken City, a kingdom of the sereia—an advanced civilization of underwater people—and her father, the king, has been alive all along. As her body adapts to her true nature, Amare must embrace her new life, especially when she finds herself at the center of an ancient prophecy that foretells that a lost princess will free a dangerous witch bent on the destruction of the human world. From its opening line to its cliffhanger ending, Noyes’ series opener follows its protagonist’s journey from pirate to princess in gripping, beautifully told fashion. Amare’s voice carries the book in a first-person narrative that is smart, funny, and intimate. Amare tells of her adventures and her frustration with the expectations placed on her as a girl on the high seas versus the freedom she experiences in the more advanced underwater society. She grapples with the new identity that is shockingly thrust upon her. With a story full of secrets and twists, a dash of romance and danger, and lovely relationships between Amare and the friends she meets along the way, this novel presents an eloquent author and intriguing series to follow.
A treasure of a tale with a captivating hero.Pub Date: Dec. 29, 2021
ISBN: 979-8-78804-140-7
Page Count: 376
Publisher: Independently Published
Review Posted Online: March 18, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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