Although it’s a bit overlong, McGarry’s fans as well as those fond of realistic romances will greet it eagerly.
McGarry continues her absorbing series about a group of street kids and their romances (Dare You To, 2013, etc.).
Here, the romance follows tough-on-the-surface Isaiah and Rachel, a rich girl so shy panic attacks put her in the hospital. Despite her private school background, Rachel is every bit as addicted to cars as Isaiah, and they meet at an illegal street race. When the cops arrive, she and Isaiah flee together, sparking their unlikely romance. Rachel sees no problem in hoping for a romance with this tattooed foster-care refugee, only worrying that he’s still in love with his former girlfriend, Beth, who left him in the previous book. Plenty of suspense arises from that first illegal drag race, when Eric, the hoodlum who runs the races, demands $5,000 from Isaiah and Rachel. The two decide to earn the money through legal drag races, but unlikely events continually thwart their progress. The author ties all of her books together by focusing on the same group of characters and introducing new romances. She displays a deft touch, devoting much space on the teens’ feelings and physical encounters but balancing it with naturally arising tension and the difficulties each faces in his or her family situation. While this book’s circumstances are not as realistic as in earlier offerings, McGarry’s skill makes it all seem plausible.
Although it’s a bit overlong, McGarry’s fans as well as those fond of realistic romances will greet it eagerly. (Fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-373-21099-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2013
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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