Calculated chess logic entwined with a heady dose of fae intrigue, magic, and romance.
Mortal and fae chess champions play for high stakes in a tale that’s infused with Irish folklore.
A chess sensation since the age of 8, Shea Fury, who’s now 19, has long coveted an invitation to the chess tournament of Midir of Bri Leith, the High King of the Irish Otherworld, held at his imposing castle in lush Tír nAill once every century (in mortal time). A victory would satisfy Shea’s competitive drive and allow her to free her older sister Aideen, who’s been married to Midir ever since Shea challenged the king to a chess match six years earlier. Shea’s rivals include brilliant Russian Daniil Tsoi; Princess Ciara, Midir’s younger sister; and Lily, a mortal who maneuvered her way in despite lacking the title of grandmaster. Midir will grant a wish to the player who defeats him (something that’s never happened). When Shea and Ciara are paired for partner chess in the second round, Shea experiences a spark of attraction to the freckled, copper-haired princess, a feeling that may be mutual. Lush descriptions of faerie landscapes, sumptuous garments, and moss-covered stone bolster a magical atmosphere that’s balanced by chess terminology, strategies, and plays. The sheer size of the cast of human and fae characters (who present white) leaves some storylines feeling thinly developed, but Shea and Ciara are a well-matched and satisfying pair.
Calculated chess logic entwined with a heady dose of fae intrigue, magic, and romance. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9781250404763
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty.
In this retelling of a classic, a drama student’s obsession with beauty leads her down a dark—and possibly deadly—path.
Eighteen-year-old Penny Paxton is beginning her first year at Dorian Drama Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she hopes to follow in her starlet mother’s footsteps—and earn the love that her mother has never seemed to offer. At Dorian, Penny is mentored by Royal Shakespeare Company legend Orlagh Camran, who makes her the compelling offer of a portrait by the Masked Painter, a mysterious artist with the ability to gift his subjects everlasting youth and beauty. But shortly after Penny’s portrait is complete, several of the Masked Painter’s subjects are found murdered. Fearing that she’s made a terrible mistake and may become the next victim, Penny, who’s gay, begins to investigate the murders with the help of an unlikely ally. As she attempts to uncover the truth surrounding the Masked Painter and the murders, she’s forced to reckon with her own toxic obsession with beauty. This chilling, atmospheric novel, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, is entertaining and full of twists, though some of the reveals feel contrived and some questions are left unanswered. The plot unravels at a leisurely pace but eventually builds to an action-packed (if somewhat convoluted) conclusion. Most characters are cued white.
An entertaining and atmospheric, though sometimes clumsy, exploration of the true cost of beauty. (content note, author’s note, bonus scene) (Fantasy thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2026
ISBN: 9781250346797
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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