Repetitive elements aside, fans of the characters and vibe will find much to enjoy.
A new game begins after the events of Find Him Where You Left Him Dead (2023).
The empress, who’s not so dead after all, starts a new game with her estranged husband, the emperor: She can possess Ian (whose friends rescued him in the first volume) for one night before sharing his body kills him. Unless she can gather the three pieces of the powerful but broken tomoe and remake it, she won’t be able to “recreate her empress form.” But the pieces can only be gathered by willing mortals. The villainous empress uses Owen’s romantic feelings for Ian to gain his assistance. Meanwhile, Maddy’s determined to rescue half-human Dax from Meido—where he learns the truth about his heritage—and to do so, she also ends up back in the game. Emerson, the final member of the friend group, is along for the ride despite her insecurities about being the couples’ fifth wheel (she has a self-acceptance storyline regarding her asexuality, which is an effective foil to the romantic storylines). This time, the game takes them to Jigoku in a creative take on the Japanese Buddhist hell. The structure and plotting of the story results in a fair amount of repetition, but the horrific threats and the settings, deeply rooted in Japanese mythology, are strengths. Although the ending feels somewhat predictable, it’s a reward for readers who are attached to the multiracial cast.
Repetitive elements aside, fans of the characters and vibe will find much to enjoy. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: March 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781250851161
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Tor Teen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
A sweet, romantic visit to the iconic Disney Fairies world.
The Pixie Dust Root is in danger, and one fairy is determined to save it—and the Pixie Dust Tree that all of Pixie Hollow depends upon.
In this stand-alone story set in the same world as Allison Saft’s Wings of Starlight (2025), Periwinkle, a frost-talent who has a gift for finding things—or maybe they have a way of finding her?—discovers a lost thread of magic that grants her the ability to dream. But not all dreams are as sparkly as Periwinkle. One night, she awakens from a nightmare to find herself in the Winter Woods with a fairy she’s never met, a sparrow man named Weaver, who claims to be a rare dream-talent. Disconcertingly, Weaver knows her—he calls her “perfect Periwinkle” and for some reason doesn’t seem to like her very much. Nevertheless, Periwinkle finds herself drawn to Weaver. When he tells her he can save the Pixie Dust Root by spinning her dreams into thread if she helps him find the magic tools he needs, Periwinkle agrees. Their journey leads the pair, who are pale-skinned, to discover things they like about each other, too. This is an opposites-attract adventure with romantic tension, a high-stakes quest, personal discovery, and betrayal. The characters struggle with inner turmoil while also adjusting their understanding of each other. Bright balances the fun with explorations of themes of snap judgments, labels, and weaponizing fear.
A sweet, romantic visit to the iconic Disney Fairies world. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9780736447362
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Disney/Random House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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