A swashbuckling, swoonworthy standout.
A beautiful witch tricks a handsome pirate into helping her escape from exile.
Majestics are powerful women blessed with magical gifts by the goddess Xiomara. After a former monarch of the Kingdom of Coronado learned how to weaken their powers, and the church deemed them wicked, Majestics were banished to Sinner’s Isle. Once a Majestic comes of age, she’s eligible to participate in the Offering, an annual event during which the king and noblemen visit the island to ritually bind with a Majestic of their choosing. Everyone knows that Rosalinda, who can control terrifying phantoms, is the most likely prospect for King Sebastián. When she and Juana, her seer best friend, are caught by their controlling mistress, Doña Lucía, as they attempt to run away, Rosa submits to her fate. But then she meets Mariano, the Prince of Pirates, whose ship was overtaken by the king’s men. Initially, Mariano, whose mother was killed by a Majestic, would do anything to get off the island, but after meeting Rosa, whom he finds both conniving and enchanting, he’s determined to escape with her at his side. Montoya’s debut is a stunning addition to its genre, offering a world infused with Mexican folklore, a charming cast, a bewitching romance, and a fast, yet evenly paced, adventure. Spanish is seamlessly woven throughout the text. Readers will fall for Rosa and Mariano, who are unapologetically irresistible and strong-willed. Characters are various shades of brown; some are queer.
A swashbuckling, swoonworthy standout. (map, author’s note) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2023
ISBN: 9780593643334
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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 heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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