An inventive premise and unpredictable plot twists set the stage for more adventures in this enchanted world.
The first installment in Edun’s (Sworn to Ascension, 2015, etc.) Courtlight series presents a rags-to-riches tale in a fantasy setting.
Orphan Ciardis Vane possesses little ambition in life beyond survival. She works for a pittance as a laundress in the small town of Vaneis and hopes to marry only for the stability a husband would offer. So when the alluring Lady Serena invites her to train as a companion, Ciardis barely hesitates. In Vaneis, companions are seen as “women with loose morals,” but Serena paints a tempting picture of comfort and power. After traveling to the city of Sandrin, Ciardis joins the Companions’ Guild and begins training in several subjects, including dance, defense, manners, and practicals. Ciardis is determined to succeed as a companion, for if she fails to attract a patron’s attention, the guild will expel her. But complications arise when Ciardis discovers she is the last member of the Weathervanes, a family renowned for its ability to enhance others’ magical powers. This revelation drastically increases Ciardis’ standing but also puts her in danger. All is not well in Sandrin, and Prince Sebastian needs her help to unlock his magical gifts and restore prosperity to the realm. To aid him—a prince in danger of being deposed—could mean disaster for Ciardis’ prospects. But if she rejects his plea, the world may be thrown out of balance forever. A promising supporting cast surrounds Ciardis, a likable protagonist, though few side characters are developed to their full potentials. Edun’s magical system is complex and creative, if at times a little puzzling. (For example, how does one learn to read if one has already been magically given that ability?) Similarly, mentions of nightwolves and other mysterious creatures promise a larger game afoot. In contrast, the political makeup of Ciardis’ world remains blandly European, populated by princes and dukes, and adds little to an otherwise engaging premise. Still, a satisfying conclusion and a well-crafted hint of romance should keep readers interested for the next installment.
An inventive premise and unpredictable plot twists set the stage for more adventures in this enchanted world.Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-62051-207-4
Page Count: 244
Publisher: NLA Digital LLC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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