This second installment in the Kissed by an Angel series continues the supernatural suspense begun in the first book and sets up the third. Although the book does not stand on its own, Chandler provides enough information for new readers to catch up with the basics of her story. Heavily populated with teens working in a bed-and-breakfast inn on Cape Cod, the novel focuses on Ivy and her three boyfriends—one murdered, one current and one stimulating possibility. Tristan, the dead love of her life, apparently returns as an angel and saves her life when she’s in a car crash. At the hospital she meets Guy, an intriguing amnesiac who just might be Tristan come back to earth. Or, Guy could be Gregory—Tristan’s murderer—returning to earth as a demon. Will, Ivy’s current, true-blue boyfriend, and Beth, her psychic best friend, can’t convince her that Guy might be dangerous. The author untangles the supernatural identities by the end of the book, setting up a nice cliffhanger. Although the suspenseful scenes are few and far between, those familiar with the series will gain new insights into the characters while waiting for scary moments. The book’s leisurely pace derives from Ivy’s frequent introspective passages, but it still provides enough intrigue to hold readers’ interest. A pleasant beach read. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)
Pub Date: March 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0914-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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 worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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