Outlandish, serious, and entertaining, this is ideal for readers who enjoyed the first volume.
Norma and Barney battle demons and angels in separate quests to keep their relationships running smoothly in this sequel to The Watcher's Test(2018).
Earth is the universe’s only neutral plane; the other 12 are divided into angelic planes or demonic ones. Travel between the planes is restricted, but Dead End has a portal between them. Norma has had Dead End rebuilt as a hotel so they can charge the demons who insist on visiting. But Norma’s soul won’t stay tethered to her body, which is handy at times—and when it becomes a problem, her best friend Badyah is there to help. Barney, who is trans, is happy living with his boyfriend Logan, but their relationship is strained by Barney’s lack of work. When a demon employs Barney in the Demon Wrestling Federation, Barney must hide his new source of income from Logan. But he can only keep up his lies for so long, and there is more behind the demons’ plot than Barney knows. Steele’s imaginative artwork is set on thick pages in rich color. Everyday character flaws and relationship foibles seem dramatic in this vividly imagined world, where diversity is the norm (hijabi Badyah is one of the only straight human characters; brown-skinned Norma Khan has autism), and good and evil are not always clear-cut.
Outlandish, serious, and entertaining, this is ideal for readers who enjoyed the first volume. (Graphic fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-910620-62-5
Page Count: 244
Publisher: Nobrow Ltd.
Review Posted Online: Nov. 16, 2019
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
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
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