Aye, this is a breezy and fun piratical tale.
Magic, piracy, and romance meet in this adventurous first entry in a new series.
Emme hates everything to do with piracy, the water, and Arabella the Ruthless, her infamous pirate mother who left her family behind in search of a life of adventure. But when Emme discovers she has Paslkapi, her late father’s fatal illness, and that the only thing that can cure her lies across the seas on the fabled Island of Iilak, she has no choice but to join her best friend, Arn, and his pirate crew. Arn has an oathbind with a prize on his head, and finding a legendary buried treasure on an island far away seems like the only solution to save his life and make some money. Good thing he manages to convince Emme—who learned swordplay from her mother and whose knowledge of the sea is unmatched—to come along. Adventure, swashbuckling, and danger follow as Emme and Arn try to keep the truth about their motivations (and about the romantic feelings they are nursing) from each other. With a narrative that alternates between dark-haired, olive-skinned Emme and blond, blue-eyed Arn, this fast-paced novel is full of nonstop action, unexpected plot twists, mythical creatures, magic, and ghosts—as well as a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance. It thoughtfully handles Emme’s complex feelings about her mother and the consequences of Arn’s ill-advised decisions in the buildup to the cliffhanger ending.
Aye, this is a breezy and fun piratical tale. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-62184-218-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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