A sequel that delivers on the worldbuilding set up by its predecessor.
The royal families of Hálendi and Turia come together once more to fight against the threat of ancient mages who seek to control the entire Plateau in this sequel to Shielded (2020).
A royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Riiga proves to be a trap designed to lure the kings of both Hálendi and Turia, but the newly crowned King Ren of Hálendi manages to evade it. Meanwhile, Princess Chiara of Turia, herself possessing no magic, formulates a plan to find her kidnapped father and prove herself useful to her family. Ren volunteers to go after her and agrees to help her with her quest. In the process, they discover that what the mages are really after are the keys to the mythical Black Library, which contains long-hidden powerful artifacts and records of ancient mages’ knowledge—and that they will use any means at their disposal to find these keys and the location of the library itself. This sequel introduces welcome new characters as well as bringing Jenna, Enzo, and Mari back into the fold, and the villains become more developed characters. While slow to start, the adventure shifts back into gear in the second half with plenty of action sequences amid the chaste, blooming romance that develops between Ren and Chiara. Characters’ skin tones range from pale to olive.
A sequel that delivers on the worldbuilding set up by its predecessor. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: July 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11857-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
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 worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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