Dragon shapeshifters steam more than sparkle in this romantic fantasy. High schooler Jacinda is the treasure of her "draki" pride, the first firebreather in centuries. But after flouting the rules once too often, she is forced to flee to a "normal" human life that leaves her dragon-self withering—until she meets Will. Although his family hunts her kind, she can't resist the immediate attraction. But any involvement with Will endangers all dragonkind, and her intended draki mate isn't ready to let her go. The first-person, present-tense narration fires up the intensity with short choppy sentences and vivid sensual descriptions. Jacinda's self-centered viewpoint scarcely acknowledges any other character—even Will displays little personality beyond being Beautiful, Tortured and Desperately in Love. Some might cavil at the instantaneous passionate bond between lovers who keep so many secrets and wonder at the implausible logistics of draki society. But this isn't a story for skeptics; it's all about swooning at the tragic star-crossed love, savoring the brooding jealousy of the obligatory triangle and agonizing over the abrupt cliffhanger ending. Just surrender to the sizzle. (Paranormal romance. YA)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-06-193508-4
Page Count: 336
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2010
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner.
A young woman pursues a dangerous quest in late-1800s Egypt in this sequel to What the River Knows (2023).
After Inez Olivera was nearly murdered while assisting with her uncle’s archaeological expedition in Egypt, Tío Ricardo is eager to ship her home to safety in Argentina. But Inez burns with the need to stay and make sure that those who committed crimes against her family are held responsible. Unfortunately, the law precludes Inez, as a young unmarried woman, from accessing her inheritance (needed to fund her quest for justice) without her guardian uncle’s permission. Whitford Hayes, a former British soldier and her tío’s aide-de-camp, proposes marriage, which could solve her problems. But can Inez trust the secretive Whit? More danger and intrigue lurk at every turn in this exciting duology closer, which fully addresses the first entry’s jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The well-paced plot encompasses many fresh, new adventures and betrayals in this reimagined historical setting in which ancient magic abounds and not everyone or everything is what it seems. Even more captivating, however, is the complicated, nuanced love story between Whit and Inez. Their chemistry sizzles, but their relationship is achingly layered with both profound loyalty and deep deception. As their journey unearths new enemies and priceless archaeological finds, the duo must try to trust each other enough to survive.
A thrilling, beautifully written page-turner. (cast of characters, map, timeline) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822994
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 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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