A quintessential beach read
The pseudonymous writing duo of the Royals trilogy introduces engaging new characters in a modern version of “Beauty and the Beast.”
He is Oakley Ford, bad-boy white pop star who hit success at 16 and is burning out by 19, with a tarnished reputation and nothing going his way. She is Vaughn Bennett, 17, smart, white, and a very normal girl, dealing with grief over the loss of her parents and struggling to find her life’s passion. Taking a year off before heading to college and working as a waitress to help her siblings make ends meet, she’s offered a golden opportunity: pretend to be Oakley’s girlfriend for a year to help improve his image. Although worried her boyfriend won’t approve, Vaughn takes the job and falls into a whirlwind of paparazzi and scripted social media that just isn’t her at all. Add to that Oak’s disdain and frustration, and she wants out…until she sees his other side. As she begins to help him over his creative block, can these two disparate souls turn the scripted romance into something real? Full of glitz and glamour, with just enough “normal” thrown in, this story speeds readers along through the bumps and bruises of this budding relationship. Oakley’s and Vaughn’s alternating voices flow smoothly, and if there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever about the end of the journey, getting there is undeniable fun.
A quintessential beach read . (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 30, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-373-21252-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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