A tale that skillfully blends aspects of Greek and Egyptian myths with modern family drama.
New mythologies emerge in Borja’s extravagant YA fantasy sequel, featuring fresh character lore and prophetic dreams.
One year following the disappearance of the Mirror Realm in the series opener, The Last Huntress (2022), 19-year-old Hadley Caldwell, one of four young huntresses chosen by the demigoddess Philautia to guard humanity from demons, receives a strange message from the remaining gods, who’ve been hijacking her dreams: She must find the Portal of Osiris, so that the gods may have new lives in the mortal world. Hadley and the other huntresses—Alice, Olivia, and Soxie—embark on a new journey to retrieve the Portal without using their previous connection to Philautia’s Realm. Also, Hadley receives an unwelcome message from her father: Her estranged brother, Caleb, has been sentenced to jail after years of running the family’s illegal chop shop. This unexpected mix of fantasy, family drama, and friendship comes together almost seamlessly. Borja offers vivid depictions of dusty Arizona and bustling Cairo, where the girls investigate the Egyptian god Osiris and his connection to Hades, the Underworld, and the Mirror Realm. The novel’s dream sequences are a significant highlight, providing character development and narrative cohesion; they include Hadley’s worst memories of her brother and grandfather, as well as delightful and haunting portrayals of well-known Greek deities, including Poseidon in a snorkel and flippers calling forth a sea monster and Hermes as a United Parcel Service delivery man. Additional storylines carry over from the previous novel, including the questionable origins of Alice’s soul and the trials of her relationship with David, a protector of huntresses; however, these aren’t as appealing as Hadley’s relationships with Caleb and her family, or the sisterly bond between the four huntresses.
A tale that skillfully blends aspects of Greek and Egyptian myths with modern family drama.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781684632602
Page Count: 344
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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
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