This frothy but not frivolous drama is wish fulfillment for any teen who wants to feel the thrill of celebrity and love.
When she gets the lead role in a teen blockbuster, Paige discovers that stardom and romance go hand in hand…in hand.
Seventeen-year-old Paige is smart and well-read, and she’s always wanted to be an actress. So it’s a dream come true when she gets the starring role in a movie adaptation of the popular book series Locked. It’s everything she hoped for: She’s filming in Hawaii, and she’s got handlers, money and a dreamy co-star, Rainer. He proves to be sweet and funny as he helps her gain some acting chops. Then broodingly handsome Jordan, Rainer’s nemesis, shows up on the set to complete the film’s scripted love triangle. Before you can say take two, Paige finds herself in a real-life drama that mirrors the movie’s plot. Desired by two gorgeous young men, Paige must choose. With her life and loves splashed all over the covers of fan magazines, Paige struggles to remain grounded and authentic. It’s not until the movie premier, in the dazzle of the paparazzi’s flashing lights, that Paige chooses with a kiss. The hinted-at sequels will reveal how the love triangle changes shape. The first-person, present-tense narration highlights Paige’s internal conflict, with step-by-step descriptions of swoony kisses for romance-loving readers.
This frothy but not frivolous drama is wish fulfillment for any teen who wants to feel the thrill of celebrity and love. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-316-36632-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
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
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
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