An atmospheric fantasy brimming with intrigue and heart.
A fae guardian and an English spy must team up to protect Scotland from magical invaders.
In the world of this duology opener, Scotland and the fae realm are magically linked; peace in the former ensures peace in the latter. So it’s up to Alyth Graham, daughter of the fae prince and lady-in-waiting to Queen Mary, to protect the barrier that keeps the bloodthirsty Red Caps, fae who rebelled against the Seelie Court, out of Scotland. But when Red Cap weapons turn up in the Scottish court—and in the hands of Lord Darnley, Mary’s scheming husband—Alyth knows something is very wrong. Samson Calthorpe, illegitimate son of William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth’s secretary (who in this universe assumes Sir Francis Walsingham’s role as spymaster), was cursed in childhood by fae magic that causes him to black out and commit violent acts. Samson is among the few humans who knows the fae are real. When Cecil offers him a chance to be rid of the curse in return for spying on Mary, Samson agrees. A chance meeting throws Samson and Alyth together. Their attraction is immediate, but Alyth senses he’s hiding something. As danger mounts, the two work together and begin to care for each other. Samson’s and Alyth’s alternating first-person narratives keep the pace moving. The court intrigue, set against lush descriptions of Scotland, is well-balanced with the fantasy elements. Most characters are cued white.
An atmospheric fantasy brimming with intrigue and heart. (content warnings, historical note) (Historical fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781464236136
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
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
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
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