Occult cotton candy.
Regency London continues to boil over with witches, mostly aristocratic ones, as three cousins, each with her potential boyfriend, battle the allies of evil witches thought vanquished in A Breath of Frost (2014).
Even though Napoleon has just been captured, thus setting the book in 1814, the real war continues among the witches. Gretchen, Emma and Penelope still reside at their school for witches, learning both spells and proper deportment. Although they chafe at the need to act ladylike, nevertheless they traipse all over London without permission and frequently without chaperones. They see ghosts and wonder why. Various exciting incidents happen with all three, always involving dark magic, usually including the potential boyfriends and sometimes including Moira, the little Madcap witch who skips over rooftops. They spend time at the goblin markets, meeting the Toad Mother, a nifty minor character. Tension persists between the girls and the Order, the tyrannical society of aristocratic warlocks who control the magic in London. Everyone has a personal crisis. Some kissing occurs, and there’s plenty of snappy patter. Finally, all of magical London comes under attack by the evil Greymalkin Sisters, newly unleashed. Harvey keeps the romance and action flowing throughout the lengthy narrative, although she doesn’t spend enough time with spunky Moira, the most original and entertaining character in the book. This installment ends with a major cliffhanger, propelling fans into the next book.
Occult cotton candy. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8027-3750-2
Page Count: 408
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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
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