A must-read.
28
GET IT
Readers return to the Great North Pack as Evie Kitwanasdottir fights for her fellow werewolves and struggles to maintain her position as Alpha.
Picking up from Forever Wolf (2019), the Great North Pack is trying to rebuild after a devastating attack and keeping several Shifter prisoners as the spoils of the barely won victory. Wolves and Shifters aren’t the same in Vale’s world; they’re enemies, and rightly so, as Shifters often align themselves with humans in their quest to conquer the wolves. Shifter Constantine, despite aiding the Great North Pack during the humans' assault, is one of the pack's prisoners, and since he seems the most dangerous, he's kept under Evie's personal supervision. This is more than just an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance, though there would be nothing wrong if it were. Evie and Constantine are two people warring with a centuries-long history of mistrust and hatred between their species to find acceptance and love with each other. It’s heady and powerful and makes the external conflict seems small in comparison. Greater machinations are at play—who is controlling the Shifters and influencing the humans? Breadcrumbs are dropped sporadically, though don’t expect any full resolutions. There seems to be much more to come with the Great North Pack and its inhabitants. Evie and Constantine share the aspiration of wanting to do the right thing for those they see as family, even if right versus wrong has become skewed for both of them. Vale is a rare writer, getting to the heart of her characters—their fears, their motivations—without sacrificing any of the grander picture. She quickly catches up readers, new and returning, with what feels less like summary than like poetry; her writing has never been better.
A must-read.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-9521-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
Categories: PARANORMAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
PERSPECTIVES
A young woman meets the love of her life on the subway, but there’s one problem: Her dream girl is actually a time traveler from the 1970s.
Twenty-three-year-old August Landry arrives in New York with more cynicism than luggage (she can fit everything she owns into five boxes, and she’d love to downsize to four), hoping to blend in and muddle through. She spent most of her childhood helping her amateur sleuth mother attempt to track down August’s missing uncle, and all that detective work didn’t leave a lot of time for things like friendship and fun. But she ends up finding both when she moves into an apartment full of endearing characters—Niko, a trans psychic whose powers are annoyingly strong; his charismatic artist girlfriend, Myla; and their third roommate, a tattoo artist named Wes. And then, on a fateful subway ride, she meets Jane. Jane isn’t like any other girl August has ever met, and eventually, August finds out why—Jane, in her ripped jeans and leather jacket, is actually a time traveler from the 1970s, and she’s stuck on the Q train. As August, who's bisexual, navigates the complexity of opening her heart to her first major crush, she realizes that she might be the only one with the knowledge and skills to help Jane finally break free. McQuiston, author of the beloved Red, White, and Royal Blue (2019), introduces another ensemble full of winning, wacky, impossibly witty characters. Every scene that takes place with August’s chosen family of friends crackles with electricity, warmth, and snappy pop-culture references, whether they’re at a charmingly eccentric 24-hour pancake diner or a drag queen brunch. But there are also serious moments, both in the dramatic yearning of August and Jane’s limited love affair (it can be hard to be romantic when all your dates take place on the subway) and in the exploration of the prejudice and violence Jane and her friends faced as queer people in the 1970s. The story does drag on a bit too long, but readers who persevere through the slower bits will be rewarded with a moving look at the strength of true love even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
A sweet, funny, and angst-filled romance with a speculative twist.Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-2502-4449-9
Page Count: 432
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Categories: ROMANCE | LBGTQ | GENERAL ROMANCE
Did you like this book?
BOOK REVIEW
The most comforting of comfort-food reading—with a few chills for fun.
18
GET IT
Roberts sticks to formula in this romantic thriller—which should please fans and newcomers alike.
The only daughter of a woman with a wildly successful fitness company, 7-year-old Adrian Rizzo is used to traveling with her mother for videos and photo shoots, the child star of the brand. But everything changes one night when a man breaks into their house, confronts her mother for destroying his marriage, and then dies in a fall down the stairs. Adrian spends the summer with her beloved grandparents, enjoying the idyllic pace of small-town life and making some strong connections. Several years later, teenage Adrian gains the confidence to start her own business with the help of some high school misfits who become her best friends. Fast-forward a few years: Adrian’s grandmother dies in an accident followed by the death of a friend's wife. Adrian decides to move in with her grandfather and to finally make a home. As frequently happens in Roberts’ novels, Adrian's friends all end up living nearby, and they create a loyal, loving network that sees them all through marriage, birth, loss, success, and the other touchstones of maturity. In the background lurks a threat, though: For years, Adrian has been receiving disturbing letters signed only "The Poet," and they begin to arrive more frequently. Adrian’s perfect, messy, successful life—and blossoming relationship—may be in danger from this psychopath, but her friends and family will be there to support and protect her to the happiest of endings. If you're a fan of Roberts’ thrillers, the structure of this novel will bring few surprises, but the familiarity is comforting. Roberts’ strength has always been her ability to create likable, complex characters, and this crew is even more appealing than most—they are never whiny in insecurity or snobbish in success; rather, they provide unwavering support for each other’s ups and downs.
The most comforting of comfort-food reading—with a few chills for fun.Pub Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-2502-7293-5
Page Count: 448
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Categories: ROMANCE | GENERAL ROMANCE | GENERAL FICTION | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP
Did you like this book?
© Copyright 2021 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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.
