Masterfully balances themes of justice and acceptance, offering profound lessons on grief and letting go.
A cunning tale in which a twin’s quest for justice pulls her closer to a killer while unraveling everything she thought she knew about her sister.
In this gripping novel, Puerto Rican identical twins Luna and Solina Flores face immense challenges that culminate in tragedy when Solina’s body is discovered floating in a river, bearing signs of violence. Luna had sacrificed her education, dropping out of school as a sophomore to work at a diner, to support her sister’s dream of attending prestigious boarding school Kingswood Academy. Their relationship became strained when Solina expressed reluctance to return for her final semester at Kingswood; Luna’s last words to Solina during their fight haunt her, and she grapples with feelings of guilt. The police treat the case as an open-and-shut matter, leaving Luna frustrated and determined to uncover the truth. Impersonating her sister, Luna leaves their rural Eastern Washington town and goes to Kingswood to investigate. There she uncovers the elite institution’s dark underbelly. The narrative effectively portrays the complexities of grief and Luna’s emotional turmoil, capturing the push and pull of loss, hidden sorrows, and the fierce desire for justice. Gonzalez Rose vividly renders Luna’s feelings when she’s confronting potential suspects. Ultimately, the novel delivers a bittersweet conclusion that resonates with the harsh realities of losing a loved one. The epilogue emphasizes the importance of embracing change.
Masterfully balances themes of justice and acceptance, offering profound lessons on grief and letting go. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781547616039
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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