Brimming with action, folklore, and fearless friendship; a fantasy in which loyalty and love prove just as powerful as magic.
Eighteen-year-old Caroline Chua ends her five-year banishment at a magical academy in New York City—a consequence of “the Incident”—when her older brother’s disappearance calls her home to Malaysia.
Aaron, who’s destined to uphold the Chua family legacy as the next High Protector of Penang Island’s Magical Council, has been kidnapped by vengeful spirits who are seeking to seize control. With only a week until the Hungry Ghost Festival—a time when the veil between the living and the dead thins—headstrong Caro must reunite with old friends Athena, Arabella, J.J., and Zati to defend her island home. As she battles external enemies, Caro also confronts her inner struggles: lingering self-doubt, the shame of exile, and the weight of family duty. A shocking betrayal, a surprising revelation, and the kindling of a romance with J.J. add emotional depth to the action-driven plot. While the frequent battle scenes occasionally slow the story’s momentum, the novel’s heart lies in its strong portrayals of friendship, loyalty, and the courage to stand together against darkness. Debut novelist Chong deftly weaves Malaysian folklore and the lore of the Hungry Ghost Festival into a vivid modern fantasy setting, enriching the story with cultural texture, moments of light humor, and lots of heart.
Brimming with action, folklore, and fearless friendship; a fantasy in which loyalty and love prove just as powerful as magic. (map, author’s note) (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780593860106
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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
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