A modernized homage to vintage horrors that would have benefited from greater emotional depth.
A new drug craze promising perfection has dangerous consequences, even for those who abstain.
Rather than party and discover a similar penchant for “fun” as the biological mother who abandoned her, Kyra Cartwright determinedly sticks to the straight and narrow. The trauma of her mother’s addiction has left Kyra with a distaste for her peers’ drug- and alcohol-fueled lifestyle, and she struggles to control the creeping tendrils of her “anxiety ivy.” Lately, Kyra’s adoptive brother, Gabe, who’s normally chaotic and unserious, has been a different and unsettling version of himself. When her edgy, offbeat best friend, Halley, suddenly becomes invested in hanging with the in crowd, Kyra knows something is seriously wrong. The influence and power of local pharmaceutical company BoTanic, the school’s corporate sponsor, is showing up everywhere, leaving only Kyra and new student Logan Kidman, who’s equally unimpressed by everyone’s shiny new selves, to resist the pressure to be perfect and solve the mystery of what’s going on. Inspired by a variety of classic horror and science-fiction books and movies, Chapman’s young readers’ debut offers satisfyingly gruesome body horror alongside pointed social commentary. However, Kyra’s voice doesn’t come across like that of an authentic teen girl, and her portrayal feels derivative. The thin characterization makes this work feel out of step with the believably drawn teens typically found in YA. Main characters read white.
A modernized homage to vintage horrors that would have benefited from greater emotional depth. (Horror. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9780593904084
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
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 compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
