An action-packed story with slow-burn romantic tension.
Thirteen years after the battle between Heaven and Hell, an 18-year-old girl accepts her unique powers and begins navigating her way between angels and demons.
When the war between Heaven and Hell spilled out onto Earth, powers were unleashed that “mutated humanity,” but until their Awakening ceremony, most people don’t know which side they’re affiliated with. But Brielle Atwater knows she’s demon-bound, having been sold into demon slavery years ago in a bargain to save her terminally ill father’s life. His untimely accidental death didn’t erase her contract, and at her Awakening, she expected her “slave mark.” But when her powers emerge, they reveal something far more extraordinary: She’s a celestial, gifted by the archangels themselves—a rare and powerful being. As her new life unfolds, Brielle is assigned to be trained by fellow Celestial Lincoln, who’s harsh and judgmental toward her. Strong-willed, impulsive Brielle is unwilling to back down—and when demons threaten to drag her into eternal darkness, it’s Lincoln who steps up, fighting for her freedom. In this series opener, sparks fly between the white-presenting leads, mixing heat, tension, and petty grievances with high stakes that propel the plot. The juxtaposition of the real-world and magical elements of the story at times feels jarring, and the characters spend little time on introspection, but readers seeking light escapism will be pleased.
An action-packed story with slow-burn romantic tension. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781464218927
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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 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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