Fast-paced action and a rich setting boost the beginning of a promising paranormal saga.
In this thriller, a teenager in Hong Kong must find and protect a supernatural artifact from warring factions after his sister’s death.
Rachel Reynolds is dead, and her teenage brother, Jack, has all but been denied by his rich, domineering father, Addison, a chance to mourn her. Jack returns to the Beacon Hill boarding school in Hong Kong under a vengeful pall after his bodyguard informs him that his sister was murdered. Jack and his loyal schoolmates have sworn to discover exactly what happened to Rachel. But through their investigation, Jack uncovers much about his sister he did not know relating to the Cherub, a religious group that worships the god Elyon (“Even when I was tired of listening, she never stopped talking about Elyon. She encouraged me to discover for myself what she had found”). With her gone, Jack must take her place and travel to another realm to track down powerful artifacts that could destroy the world. Jack is opposed by his father and the Merikh, criminals with ties to China who control illicit activities in the Golden Triangle. The Cherub’s leaders’ past failures leave Jack struggling with trust issues and the question of whether his faith in Elyon is strong enough to help him protect Eden’s Star and his Beacon Hill friends. Williams’ series opener moves briskly, with short, quick chapters and lots of action. A showdown with a fire-throwing villain and a double-decker bus particularly stands out but is far from the only excitement in the tale. Beacon Hill and the surrounding streets of Kowloon come alive in the novel. While some world traveling is a key facet of the genre, every chapter away from the school is disappointing because of how well established Beacon Hill and Jack’s classmates are. Hong Kong’s history and present-day protests deliver a nice touchstone in a story that deals mainly in fantasy. Visions of a destructive future and the haven Beacon Hill will provide haunt the protagonist: clever foreshadowing for his next adventures. But in looking toward the sequel, the volume neglects to offer enough closure to allow the tale to stand on its own.
Fast-paced action and a rich setting boost the beginning of a promising paranormal saga.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781496462657
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Wander
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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