A fun tale of shapeshifting adventurers.
A teenage girl learns about her destiny in McDaniel’s YA series starter.
Cassie Thomas is a lonely 15-year-old girl living in the Sierra Nevada mountains with her mother. Her life changes forever after she meets Rusty, a red-haired dog who becomes utterly loyal to her; he follows her to and from school and spends all his time with her. Soon afterward, Cassie meets Jack, a Scottish teen who introduces her to her hidden destiny. It turns out that she’s a Changer—a member of an ancient people who can transform into animals; in Cassie’s case, it’s initially a spotted cat, although her ability to change into other creatures is revealed later on. She also finds out that she has a twin brother, Vinnie; they’re the Twins of the Prophecy, who are destined to return their people to greatness. Jack, it’s revealed, is Cassie’s Protector who can transform into a dog; he and Rusty are one and the same. Later, the twins and their Protectors travel to a beautiful Scottish castle, where family and friends await. Cassie learns more about her new powers, deepens her relationships with Jack and Vinnie, and investigates the mysterious Benedictine Monks who seem to hate all Changers with a passion. McDaniel’s whirlwind novel introduces Cassie as a tough, funny protagonist who manages a variety of situations with aplomb. Various mysteries and new characters weave in and out of the story, some more solidly than others; there’s an awful lot going on in this first series entry, and sometimes it shifts its focus rather abruptly. The first part of the narrative spends a great deal of time with Jack and Rusty, for example, but once Vinnie enters the picture, Jack’s importance wanes considerably. Still, when Jack is present, it’s always a treat, and readers will find it easy to root for a romance between him and the protagonist. It’s also exciting to see her powers unfold and to witness other characters accepting the once-lonely girl into their lives.
A fun tale of shapeshifting adventurers.Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2021
ISBN: 9798776067334
Page Count: 234
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Aug. 28, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
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