A promising, culturally rich, Filipino-infused fantasy series opener.
The heir apparent to a fairy-realm kingdom must ascend the throne after her father dies.
Half-human/half-encanto Maria Josephina “MJ” Robertson-Rodriguez, who’s been hiding in the human world of Southern California with her mortal mother, is confronted by magical beings, who announce that her father, King Vivencio Basilio of the Sirena Court, is dead, and that she’s in danger. MJ is taken to Biringan, “the hidden fairy realm of the Philippine islands,” and she soon realizes that no amount of schooling by her mother or correspondence from her father could have prepared her for its magical vastness—or the political disarray threatening her succession. As her queenly coronation looms, she attends the Biringan Academy of Noble Arts (where not even her peers from other kingdoms can be trusted), participates in council meetings with other royals (who question her ability to rule), and anxiously waits for her magical powers to manifest. MJ also investigates the late king’s death, aided by new friend Phoenix “Nix” Xing (a fellow hapcanto) and unlikely ally Sir Lucas Invierno—and discovers a dark magic that could claim her life next. From the quirky nicknames to the terrifying mambabarangs, or witches, de la Cruz’s latest is rich in Filipino culture and mythology. MJ’s rapid acceptance as ruler of a magical kingdom that she left as a toddler is somewhat unconvincing, but the plot-driven story will please readers seeking constant action.
A promising, culturally rich, Filipino-infused fantasy series opener. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593533086
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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
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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