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
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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