A fittingly epic but overstuffed finale weighed down by repetition.
Conrad’s battle against his tyrannical uncle reaches its climax in this conclusion to the Above the Black trilogy.
At the end of Among Serpents (2025), King Ulrich of Urwin conducted a brutal purge. Now he’s casting his nephew, Conrad, and 1,000 soldiers who are deemed disloyal into the perilous Below. Presumed dead, Conrad resurfaces under an assumed name, gathering ships, new allies, and old friends as he works toward an inevitable showdown with his uncle. Themes of leadership, sacrifice, and the cost of power thread through the narrative as Conrad grapples with the balance between mercy and strength as embodied by his mother’s pacifism and his father’s warrior ethos. He also relies heavily on the loyalty and quick thinking of his companions, who pull him out of danger time and again. Sebastian makes another appearance as a recurring villain, but his lack of growth renders him flat. The importance of trust and friendship remains central, with the found family crew providing both comic relief and heartfelt moments. The political purges and tests of loyalty echo contemporary conflicts, lending the fantasy a sharp edge. Unfortunately, the novel is bogged down by its length and pacing issues; too great a percentage of the book is devoted to monster battles in the Below that become tiresome. There’s some racial diversity among the supporting characters surrounding the white-presenting central cast.
A fittingly epic but overstuffed finale weighed down by repetition. (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781682637081
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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