Intriguing characters, a different take on an urban landscape, and the element of mystery will captivate readers.
The closing of two high schools results in strife between rival gangs.
Emanuella “LL” Harvey’s brother, Warp, and his friends are deeply suspicious of graffiti artist Haze and his group. Though Haze and LL share an instant attraction when their schools consolidate, acting on it could further heighten tensions. The challenge of keeping Warp and Haze apart gets harder after pictures of her done in Haze’s style begin appearing on walls around town. Their secret, budding relationship, along with Haze’s determination to learn who murdered his sister, are set against LL’s efforts in her brother’s parcours group: athletic young people who practice the sport of dashing through city streets, overcoming obstacles by running, leaping, and jumping. LL has responded to the loss of her mother, the frequent absences of her trucker dad, and too many older brothers by becoming outspoken and daring; her voice is strong and authentic. There is much else to admire in this debut novel. The depiction of the sport of parcours brings distinctive action to the narrative. LL and her brother are mixed-race, introduced as a characteristic rather than a major issue. Secondary characters are well-drawn, especially the troubled Warp and his good friend Surge. The twists and resolution are satisfying, though the writing sags at times, and a gymnastics subplot disappears, leaving readers wondering.
Intriguing characters, a different take on an urban landscape, and the element of mystery will captivate readers. (Mystery. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-929345-20-5
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Poisoned Pencil
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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