An absorbing detective tale, with a bit of romance and a good dose of reality alongside the sorcery.
A murder, an invention that defies magical conventions, and one intrepid reporter who’s on the case.
Nineteen-year-old Vesper Evans, who’s coded Black, is the great-granddaughter of immigrants from the Calida Isles. She’s also everything Victerran society in 1898 dislikes: an unmarried woman, out on her own, working in the public eye as a reporter for The Basalton Globe. And she’s a good reporter, too, adept at reading people and situations. Her latest scoop involves a machine that’s purported to replicate the powers of sorcery, removing barriers like “years of expensive education” previously needed to master the Thaumaric language of incantations and “access arcanic energy.” Shortly after the machine is unveiled, its inventor is murdered. Vesper reluctantly agrees to help suspect Maximilian Kite, a rich young sorcerer, prove his innocence, in exchange for enough money to save the Globe from bankruptcy. As Vesper draws nearer to discovering the killer, she becomes involved in a web of intrigue that encompasses both the city’s underbelly and its upper echelons. Set in a magic-tinged version of the Gilded Age, Vesper’s story folds explorations of feminism and workers’ rights into a classic whodunit. Gray’s blend of fantasy, realism, and mystery elevates the story while leaving room for character development. Vesper is a plucky hero whose story has crossover appeal for readers aging out of the young adult category.
An absorbing detective tale, with a bit of romance and a good dose of reality alongside the sorcery. (Fantasy mystery. 15-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781250411235
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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
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