A well-balanced story of both teenage and godly dramas.
One modern-day valkyrie can see the signs: “Ragnarök is coming.”
Brynhildr Martel is named after the valkyrie Brunhild, but as the youngest of three sisters, one of whom is “the smart and responsible one” and the other “the talented and lovable one,” she’s never felt like her legendary namesake. At 17, she’s still learning to be a valkyrie, in between her shifts in the gift shop at Chicago’s Ravenswood Medieval Faire, where her family lives. When the faire is besieged by a troll, an undead army, and more creatures straight out of Norse mythology, Bryn knows that Ragnarök (or the end of the world) is nigh. With a half-giant and a berserker by her side, she plans to save the day—but it would help if her sisters ever listened to her. Bryn might be a valkyrie, but in between worrying about Ragnarök and guiding the dead to Valhalla, she has other pressing concerns, like what to say to the cute new boy at the faire and how to deal with all her family drama and the fact that she’s grounded—again. The contemporary setting combined with Norse mythological elements is fresh without being overwhelmed by too much godly interference, leaving room for Bryn to contend with all sorts of magical creatures and make plenty of mistakes along the way. Principal characters are coded white.
A well-balanced story of both teenage and godly dramas. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: July 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781368100991
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
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
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener.
Teens from different social spheres collaborate, investigating magical mysteries while navigating their shared attraction.
When 18-year-old Wren Hayes doesn’t receive a magical gift from the three Fates—Dawn, Day, and Dusk—she’s shunned by Aurilian high society. Unbeknownst to Wren, 19-year-old Damien, a thief from the Void (a part of the city she’s forbidden to visit) has taken the locket that should have been her gift from the Fates. He’s shocked to discover a photo of himself inside. Using his own Fates’ gift—a mirror with powers of invisibility—Damien infiltrates a party and steals a silver watch from a guest. But his gift isn’t fully functioning, and Wren tackles him, sending them both tumbling into the mud. They tussle and exchange flirty barbs before Damien makes off with his prize, losing Wren’s locket in the process. Unsure why someone from the Void would possess such a gift and determined to uncover why hers was “unjustly kept” from her, Wren tracks down Damien. Seeking answers of his own, he agrees to work with her. Their well-crafted dance of desire and restraint is on point (“She stifled a stunned noise as I placed a menacing kiss—a mere graze of my lips—on the back of her hand”), melding seamlessly with the plot. The story addresses sexism, privilege, and wealth while hurtling the characters into a whirlwind of action and disturbing revelations. Wren presents white, and Damien has tanned skin.
A sexy, swoony, action-packed duology opener. (map) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798217117215
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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