Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou - OPTIONAL

Hearts That Cut (Threads That Bind #2) by Kika Hatzopoulou, 336 pages. Razorbill (Penguin Random House), 2024. $17.

Language: R (43 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Io and Bianca have been following Thais’s thread to the gods for weeks, needing to understand the reason for all the deaths they witnessed in Alante. But the gods and their followers continue to stay one step ahead—and their adversaries aren’t the only ones misleading Io’s power.

There seemed to be more expository sections in this book than in the prequel, which were cumbersome to read but important to the conclusions Io makes to unravel the antagonists’ plan. With betrayal, reconciliation, and more of the amazing magic system, the non-expository parts were action-filled enough to make the reading worth it. I am satisfied by the climax and conclusion, though I would not say no to more stories set in Io’s world.

Hatzopoulou’s main and side characters are diverse in skin tone and sexual orientation. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, illegal activity, partial nudity, and an intense make out scene. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, fantasy violence, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Night Ends with Fire by K. X. Song - OPTIONAL

The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) by K. X. Song, 432 pages. Ace (Penguin Group), 2024. $21.

Language: PG (8 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

In order to save her family, Meilin (18yo) needs the matchmaker to arrange a betrothal to a wealthy suitor. The matchmaker does her job, but Meilin is unable to do hers. Instead of marrying the merchant chosen for her, Meilin calls herself Ren and joins the army, determined to be the best and force everyone to acknowledge her.

This retelling of Mulan focuses on the gray areas between ambition and greed, between equality and pride, between duty and mercy. Meilin struggles with herself and how she fits into the new situations she has placed herself in, which is the focus of the majority of the internal conflict and becomes repetitive since she struggles with the same issues again and again. Readers feel this struggle as well, trying to fit Meilin into either the box of hero or villain—but few things are that simple.

Meilin is described as having “dark” skin, and Sky is described as having “pale” skin, though the overall impression is that the characters are implied Chinese as it is a retelling of Mulan. One significant side character is lesbian. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, innuendo, sexual harassment, mentions of concubines and prostitutes, rape, and sexual touching. The violence rating is for assault, child abuse, war and battle, murder, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Crashing into You by Rocky Callen - OPTIONAL

Crashing into You by Rocky Callen, 288 pages. Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan), 2024. $20.

Language: R (96 swears, 56 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Street racing is something that Leti (16yo) is good at, and she’s determined to prove that she deserves to be there by getting invited to the underground races. Her crew is fully behind her, even if her father isn’t supportive. But when Leti and Jacob become friends, she gains another reason to win—and so much more to lose if she doesn’t.

I love the metaphors that come to life from Leti’s view of the world, from how she describes Jacob as an entire forest in one being to how her car feels like a rocket to how the entire ocean can come between people. Leti’s and Jacob’s interest in flying and in the stars are different, and yet Callen uses imagery to bring them together in a beautiful way. The street racing is exciting and the aforementioned figurative language is amazing, but the core of this book is about grief and promises—when to let them define your life and whether any good can come from letting them go.

Leti and her family are implied Latinx, Jacob is Jewish, and a couple of side characters are gay. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs and sex, illegal activity, innuendo, groping, and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for assault.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen