Love conquers all in this satisfying duology closer.
Soul mates Nigel and Orion possess knowledge that could upend the magical world, but some magicians will stop at nothing to prevent that information from getting out.
Picking up where The Spells We Cast (2023) left off, Nigel and Ori, who are white, are on the run from the Guild and under the protection of the Resistance. After being brought back from the dead, Nigel isn’t the same: There’s an evil voice in his head that grows stronger with anger. And while the boys and their friend Bex, who’s Japanese American, know that magical imbalance is a lie and that the Guild is unnecessarily stripping teen magicians of their powers, a spell prevents other members of the Resistance from remembering this fact. Thankfully, Nigel has a secret informant who’s still in the Guild. South Asian American Jaleesa wants to learn more about Nigel’s and Ori’s powers, which are amplified through their soul mate connection; she might be able to do the same with her girlfriend, white-cued Laurel (although Laurel wants to take down Nigel and Ori). Unlike the first book, which focused on Nigel, this ensemble piece shifts focus among several characters. While this structure slows the pace, particularly in the beginning, it ultimately makes the themes richer as the story delves into relationships, parental expectations, empathy, and animosity from various viewpoints. Filled with riveting magic, this dazzling, queer-affirming world will sweep fans up.
Love conquers all in this satisfying duology closer. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781368089241
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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 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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