Paranormal romance done well, with a warning: When it comes to incantations, always read the fine print.
Second in a two-book series—but nicely readable as a stand-alone—after Ashes to Ashes (2013), this continues the dual-world adventures of teen Callie.
Torn between two lovers and caught between two worlds, Callie is recovering from the coma that thrust her into the Prism, where spirit-guide Thatcher wooed her and ghosts Reena and Leo played with the dark side, attempting to possess bodies of the living and displacing their souls, possibly permanently. Now Callie’s coming to terms with both strange truths (“one thing is for sure: My body may have been in that hospital bed, but my soul sure as hell wasn’t”) and normal teen dramas. Steadfast mortal boyfriend Nick isn’t quite as cozy as before, and poltergeist Reena is eyeing best friend Carson for a takeover. Callie’s return to the mortal world allows for new characters (Thatcher’s living sister; a potential boyfriend for Carson with a convenient knowledge of the occult) and introduces some mystery. Callie’s present-tense narration provides access to typical teen thoughts, high jinks and melodrama; “guilt ravages” her mind as she faces “the horrifying truth. A truth that I couldn’t prevent. A truth that I brought upon all of us.” The intriguing worldbuilding of the initial book is missing; though Callie retains the obliviousness that got her in trouble to begin with, her self-reflection is purely emotional. But with a watery homage to the movie Ghost, will anyone mind?
Paranormal romance done well, with a warning: When it comes to incantations, always read the fine print. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-207737-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
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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