A clever and thoroughly satisfying end to a strong trilogy. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)
Although he was stripped of his magic in Demon Eyes (2012), Braden is still enmeshed in the power players’ various plots—and he’s sick of being a puppet.
The small town of Belle Dam is overflowing with magical heavy hitters such as feuding warlocks Jason Thorpe and Catherine Lansing, demons Lucian and Matthias, and the newly returned town founder (who stole Braden’s powers), Grace Lansing. Colorful supporting characters don’t allow Braden to slip into self-pity over his victimhood, instead pushing him to fight for his life. What they don’t know is that Braden is also fighting a prophecy predicting that he will become a terrible force of destruction and evil. Even without powers, Braden doesn’t lack agency; to evade those who would control him, he digs further into the history of the town and its ruling families. His own family’s history informs his evolving relationship with his father. Multiple desires—revenge against Catherine and Lucian, safety for Trey, the town’s liberation from the feud and Riley’s healing (she’s a casualty of his previous battle with Lucian)—converge in a desperate, dangerous plan that leads Braden down a dark path. Tracey nimbly weaves plot threads and character agendas to create intrigue, double crosses and demonic pacts in a race to a conclusion that will change Belle Dam forever.
A clever and thoroughly satisfying end to a strong trilogy. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7387-3659-4
Page Count: 408
Publisher: Flux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2013
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
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
