Fast-paced, immersive, and delightfully dramatic; a strong addition to the series.
Princess Yulana does her best to balance being the First Daughter of the Gommun Kang with her duties as the Guardian of Wind.
Yuli, Zhara, and Ami are three of the Guardians of Dawn, legendary magicians who are reborn when the forces of order and chaos are out of balance. Aided by a secret network of supporters, they’ve been protecting magicians while searching for the missing fragments of the Songs of Order and Chaos, the book that will help them defeat the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons. When another kang threatens her family’s position, Yuli must step forward to compete against her best-friend-turned-rival, Maltak Kho, in the Grand Game to determine who will lead the northern territory. Yuli, Zhara, and Ami are also trying to find a cure for the strange waking dreamer sickness and defeat the Moth Demon to seal the northern portal to help stop the affliction. With the fate of the Morning Realms resting on her shoulders, can Yuli strike a balance between navigating politics and defending the world against chaos? This third installment in the Guardians of Dawn series is just as engaging and magical as its predecessors. The intriguing characters, who represent diverse aspects of identity, are one of the story’s biggest strengths; their portrayals feature well-written banter, relationships, and character arcs. With in-depth worldbuilding and exciting action, this entry will leave fans begging for the next installment.
Fast-paced, immersive, and delightfully dramatic; a strong addition to the series. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2025
ISBN: 9781250191489
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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.
