A tragic and grotesque romance that will enchant fans of dark fantasy and horror.
Redheaded Wyatt Westlock returns to her family’s farmhouse following her father’s death; she’s there to burn it to the ground.
But she finds Peter, her childhood friend, chained in her basement. Wyatt releases him, unaware of his secret: He’s immortal and has been ritually sacrificed by generations of members of Wyatt’s family in order to keep hellish monsters from invading our world. His only escape from the cycle of death and rebirth is to kill Wyatt, the last Westlock. Although each of them can only survive if the other dies, their unspoken love for each other keeps them locked in an uneasy truce. Without Peter’s bones, the darkness in the forest creeps closer, bringing with it terrible creatures and eldritch horrors. The couple must explore Wyatt’s own wild magic if they hope to save their doomed romance. Andrew delivers an emotionally intense story of star-crossed lovers whose story unfolds against the backdrop of an isolated farm that’s visited by terrifying birds, menacing hooded figures, and a creature that uses powers of mimicry to hunt. The farm is so vibrantly described that it thoroughly connects the characters to the setting both physically and emotionally, reflecting the bleakness of the choices Peter and Wyatt face. The rot, mold, and mildew that creep over the farm are almost tangible; so too is the longing Peter and Wyatt feel for each other. All characters read white.
A tragic and grotesque romance that will enchant fans of dark fantasy and horror. (Dark fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781338885071
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.
Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.
In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098458
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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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