Unanswered questions will have readers awaiting the third book and hoping that it brings Meira and her people peace at long...
In this sequel to Snow Like Ashes, Winter’s queen, Meira, struggles to forge a new life for her recently liberated people.
Meira feels smothered by her role as queen, and her narration makes her rocky adjustment to the immense responsibilities of ruling a kingdom achingly sympathetic. Noam, king of Cordell (who has loaned Winter aid), has ordered Meira to reopen Winter’s mines in hopes of finding the powerful magical chasm of legend. However, when it is found, Meira vows to keep it shut; she is distrustful of magic after learning about the Decay, a byproduct of magic used incorrectly. She embarks on a journey to meet the rulers of other kingdoms in Primoria as a cover for finding the keys necessary to open the chasm. Interspersed with Meira’s are chapters from Mather’s perspective, in which he defies Noam when left in Winter while Meira travels. Always a likable character, Meira’s insecurities in her new role make her appealing in a way that invests readers in her storyline as well as her character. Additionally, with such a high page count, it's especially noteworthy that the story is so well-paced.
Unanswered questions will have readers awaiting the third book and hoping that it brings Meira and her people peace at long last. (map) (Fantasy. 12 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-228695-6
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
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
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart.
After praying to a Fate for help, Evangeline discovers the dangerous world of magic.
When her father passes away, Evangeline is left with her cold stepmother and kind but distant stepsister, Marisol. Despite inheriting a steady trust in magic, belief in her late mother’s homeland of the mystical North (where fantastical creatures live), and philosophy of hope for the future, her dreams are dashed when Luc, her love, pledges to marry Marisol instead. Evangeline desperately prays to the Prince of Hearts, a dangerous and fickle Fate famed for his heart that is waiting to be revived by his one true love—and his potentially lethal kisses. The bargain they strike sends her on a dark and magical journey throughout the land. The writing style fluctuates from clever and original to overly verbose and often confusing in its jumble of senses. While the pervasive magic and concept of the Fates as a religious system add interest, other fantasy elements are haphazardly incorporated without enough time devoted to building a cohesive world. However, the themes of love, the power of story, family influence, and holding onto belief are well rounded and add depth. The plot contains welcome surprises, and the large cast piques curiosity; readers will wish more time was spent getting to know them. Evangeline has rose-gold hair and, like other main characters, reads as White; there is diversity among the fantasy races in this world.
A lushly written story with an intriguing heart. (map) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26839-6
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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