It’s a satisfying conclusion for series fans.
The Internment Chronicles end with a return to the floating city in the sky.
Morgan has found only continued oppression during her stay on the ground after her escape from her sky-borne city. There, she was under the thumb of the autocratic King Furlow, who strictly regulates the lives of the Internment population. But on the ground, King Ingram cares more for his war than for his people. By holding Princess Celeste of Internment hostage, he has brought the floating city to its knees. To keep his daughter safe, King Furlow allows the mining of phosane, the element rare on the ground but common on Internment that can power King Ingram’s war machines. When Morgan’s friend, the scientifically minded Pen, calculates that Internment may be slowly falling from the sky due to the mining operation, Morgan convinces the king to allow her to return. However, it seems that Pen and much of Morgan’s family will be left on the ground. Once back in Internment, Morgan becomes further involved in the intrigues of the royal family, eventually realizing that a coup may be the only thing that can save her city. DeStefano brings her story to a close with unlikely physics, convoluted politics, but fairly intriguing characters. Princess Celeste, the embodiment of privilege, must find a way to survive when her circumstances change, for example.
It’s a satisfying conclusion for series fans. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 22, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9637-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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