For romantics and skeptics alike, this fresh dose of optimism will warm the cockles of the heart.
Little does Gael know, as he stumbles into and out of romance, that here and there his life is being tweaked by Love.
Delivering exactly as promised, there is not one bit of irony or shame in the book’s title or tagline, “a rom-com about love.” Narrator and semidirector of the heart Love disavows any role in great stories throughout history—Romeo and Juliet, Bella and Edward, etc.—telling readers, "humans make a lot of mistakes. I don't." Love's now focused on 18-year-old, white Gael. Love wants to make amends for slacking on Gael’s family by not being attentive enough to give some good love nudges that might have prevented his parents’ divorce. His devastation over his parents’ split propels Gael into falling too hard and too fast for the wrong girl, who breaks his heart by cheating on him with his best friend. Bitter and grieved but ever the romantic, Gael rebounds toward the next wrong girl. Eventually, with a little help from Love, Gael discovers the young woman who affirms the truth that “real love makes you better then you ever knew you could be.” It’s then that the rom-com madcap-ery really commences as Gael gets downright silly in order to reach his lady before it’s too late. Love delivers this sweet little bonbon of a story in a voice that’s always chipper, sometimes funny, and pretty darn smart.
For romantics and skeptics alike, this fresh dose of optimism will warm the cockles of the heart. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2193-9
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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