Fans of retellings will enjoy finding many hidden tropes in this warm, original fantasy.
In this fairy-tale mashup, the witch’s daughter protects her village from both human and nonhuman monsters.
The village of Greymist Fair, surrounded by a magical forest, is safe enough as long as one never leaves the forest path. It was once a pleasant, joyful place, though children were often lost, never to be seen again. But in recent years it’s become much scarier: The wargs have been killing, Lord and Lady Greymist have died, and some of the villagers are open bullies. After Heike’s mother is killed by wargs, she learns that it was her mother who’d been the village witch all along and that Death themself lives in the woods. In a mélange of elements from Grimms’ fairy tales (including “Godfather Death,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “The Fisherman and His Wife”), Heike and the other young people of Greymist Fair confront magic that seems to permeate the entire forest. Somehow, the patchwork of stories coalesces into a coherent whole, and a surprising number of side characters get satisfying character arcs. In the spirit of the Brothers Grimm, there’s rather a lot of death and suffering, but there’s also an extremely wholesome climax at Yule that could be taken from a classic Christmas story. Darkly atmospheric full-page art contributes to the sense of place. Most characters are White; both same-sex relationships and transness are common and unremarkable in Greymist Fair.
Fans of retellings will enjoy finding many hidden tropes in this warm, original fantasy. (map, cast of characters) (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-316169-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
Reminiscent of fairy tales and full of enchantment.
In this sequel to the 2022 series opener, Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw, Sally must mend time itself.
It’s been a year since Sally married Jack Skellington and discovered her Dream Town origins, and she’s spread thin between performing her duties as Pumpkin Queen and managing relations among all the holiday realms. Arguments and misunderstandings have arisen between visitors and residents of each realm, so Sally proposes hosting cultural exhibitions to help smooth over their interactions, starting with one in Halloween Town. To help with the extra work, Sally takes on an apprentice—fellow rag doll Luna, a teen with dreams of going on adventures instead of following in the family business of writing bedtime stories. Chaos ensues during the festivities when a swapped potion ingredient opens a portal that sucks Sally and Luna into Time Town. Even worse, Halloween Town’s magical clock has been destroyed by a shadowy enemy, setting the realm’s timeline to the distant past. To get back to the Halloween Town of her present, Sally embarks on an adventure with Luna and their new friend, a dragon called Scorch. Sally, Luna, and Scorch make a fantastic trio, with Sally’s maturity and bravery contrasting with Luna’s wide-eyed youthfulness and Scorch’s desire to become a hero. Despite a slow start and stereotypical elements in some of the towns, the engaging lore and tense, thrilling race to fix time will engage readers.
Reminiscent of fairy tales and full of enchantment. (Fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: July 8, 2025
ISBN: 9781368089302
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Disney/Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills.
A group of teens stranded in a snowstorm discovers a murderer in their midst.
While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills. (Mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-32333-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
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