An engaging coming-of-age tale that quickly takes wing.
In Wright’s debut YA fantasy novel, a teenage girl must decide whether to make a deal with a devil.
Lesley Robinson managed to make it all the way to high school without knowing anything about her absent father or that her mother has been hiding a huge secret. While visiting kindly old neighbor Mrs. McKee, the elderly woman surprisingly reveals that Lesley’s mother is a witch and that she senses “a great change” in the teen’s near future. The girl never imagined that change would also involve finding out that her father is a demon—specifically, her dad is an incubus and a servant of Asmodeus, a powerful demon prince. The surprises continue as Lesley develops horns, batlike wings, and even a tail. When Lesley is no longer able to hide her true nature, she and her mother move to Misty Hollow, a haven for fae creatures like herself. Now she must deal with a new town, a new school, and Asmodeus himself, who shows up to stake a claim on Lesley as his newest servant. When he offers her a chance to learn magic—including a spell that would allow her to appear human again and possibly return to her old life—she strongly considers striking a bargain. In this fantasy novel, Wright offers readers a brisk tale of a young half-demon as she struggles to decide her own fate. The plot moves along with some speed, as when Lesley goes from learning about her ancestry to starting to grow wings in the space of only a few pages. It results in a sense of consistent forward momentum that will likely keep younger readers interested and invested. Wright keeps the action intriguing by introducing a host of other creatures in Lesley’s new school, including such monstrous types as vampires, werewolves, and harpies, among others. Overall, it makes for an offbeat blend of brand-new fae creatures and beloved familiar ones.
An engaging coming-of-age tale that quickly takes wing.Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2022
ISBN: 979-8986709826
Page Count: 222
Publisher: Battle Crow Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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
© 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.
